Natural hazards · Minden

Minden, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Minden comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1978. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Minden?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Minden to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding36%Ice storms13%Tornadoes12%Heat waves12%Strong wind11%Hail7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Minden faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Ice storms

13% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Minden flood?

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

33paid claims since 1978

$798Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late winter severe storms: 12 claims, $563K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Webster Parish.

Disasters that hit Minden

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MindenDeclared for Webster Parish only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$25K to the City of Minden for repairs

2021

Hurricane Ida

2 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

101 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $4K to the City of Minden for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved $228K to the City of Minden for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

471 households applied for aid $546K aid approved $251K to the City of Minden for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$91K to the City of Minden for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$84K to the City of Minden for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

$35K to the City of Minden for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$93K to the City of Minden for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$43K to the City of Minden for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$176K to the City of Minden for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$43K to the City of Minden for repairs

1998

Severe Ice Storm

$37K to the City of Minden for repairs

Webster Parish has had 26 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. Minden covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across Minden total about $3.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.