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Natural hazards · Oberlin

Oberlin, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oberlin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1982. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Oberlin?

75
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oberlin to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding34%Hurricanes22%Tornadoes11%Drought11%Cold waves9%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Oberlin faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Drought

11% of expected damage
Recorded about 28 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Oberlin flood?

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

20paid claims since 1982
$639Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Barry: 5 claims, $362K
  • Hurricane Delta: 3 claims, $133K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Oberlin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Allen Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Oberlin

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OberlinDeclared for Allen Parish only
2020

Hurricane Delta

67 households applied for aid $115K aid approved
2020

Hurricane Laura

784 households applied for aid $820K aid approved $15K to the Town of Oberlin for repairs
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

41 households applied for aid $118K aid approved
2012

Hurricane Isaac

24 households applied for aid $27K aid approved
2008

Hurricane Ike

37 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $407K to the Town of Oberlin for repairs
2008

Hurricane Gustav

292 households applied for aid $176K aid approved $12K to the Town of Oberlin for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $22K aid approved
2005

Hurricane Rita

1,317 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $20K to the Town of Oberlin for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina

1 household applied for aid
2002

Hurricane Lili

$10K to the Town of Oberlin for repairs
Allen Parish has had 27 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. Oberlin 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 Oberlin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Oberlin. 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.

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