Natural hazards · Pitkin

Pitkin, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pitkin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pitkin?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding42%Hurricanes20%Tornadoes18%Cold waves7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Pitkin faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Pitkin flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Pitkin.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Vernon Parish.

Disasters that hit Pitkin

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PitkinDeclared for Vernon Parish only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Delta

14 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2020

Hurricane Laura

1,035 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2008

Hurricane Ike

66 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Gustav

127 households applied for aid $77K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

1,276 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1 household applied for aid

Vernon Parish has had 28 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. Pitkin 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 Pitkin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Pitkin. 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.

Pitkin, LA natural hazards

How exposed is Pitkin?

What Pitkin faces

Inland flooding

Hurricanes

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Pitkin flood?

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Winter Storms

Hurricane Delta

Hurricane Laura

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Gustav

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Katrina

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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