Natural hazards · Mermentau

Mermentau, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Mermentau comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1994. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Mermentau?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Mermentau to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding43%Hurricanes33%Drought8%Cold waves6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Mermentau faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 25 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Mermentau flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Mermentau, from FEMA’s records.

11paid claims since 1994

$111Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Mid-summer severe storms: 4 claims, $56K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Mermentau isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Acadia Parish.

Disasters that hit Mermentau

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Mermentau itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Mermentau.

Brought FEMA money into MermentauDeclared for Acadia Parish only

2020

Hurricane Delta

33 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Laura

71 households applied for aid $43K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

40 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

19 households applied for aid

2008

Hurricane Gustav

53 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

328 households applied for aid $380K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

16 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

Acadia Parish has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Mermentau is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Mermentau’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Mermentau. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

Mermentau, LA natural hazards

How exposed is Mermentau?

What Mermentau faces

Inland flooding

Hurricanes

Drought

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Mermentau flood?

Biggest named events

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Hurricane Delta

Hurricane Laura

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Gustav

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Katrina

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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