Natural hazards · Peru

Peru, ME natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Peru comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1987. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Peru?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Peru to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding56%Hurricanes17%Cold waves12%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Peru faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Peru flood?

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

5paid claims since 1987

$236Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oxford County.

Disasters that hit Peru

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PeruDeclared for Oxford County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $201K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$143K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$167K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

2 households applied for aid $21K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams

$28K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$5K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2005

Snow

$10K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$7K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams

$12K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2003

Snow

$4K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2001

Snow

$19K to the Town of Peru for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$11K to the Town of Peru for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the Town of Peru for repairs

Oxford County has had 33 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Peru

Peru and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mexicomostly inland floodingVery high

Rumfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Dixfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Cantonmostly inland floodingModerate

Perumostly inland floodingModerate

Sumnermostly inland floodingModerate

Hartfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Woodstockmostly inland floodingLow

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. Peru 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 Peru’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Peru. 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.