Natural hazards · Zeeland

Zeeland, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Zeeland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2008. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Zeeland?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Zeeland to be higher than in 5% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding60%Tornadoes15%Strong wind12%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Zeeland faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Zeeland flood?

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

3paid claims since 2008

$42Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20082026

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. Zeeland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Ottawa County.

Disasters that hit Zeeland

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ZeelandDeclared for Ottawa County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$15K to the City of Zeeland for repairs

2000

Snow

$9K to the City of Zeeland for repairs

1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$6K to the City of Zeeland for repairs

Ottawa County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Zeeland

Zeeland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hollandmostly inland floodingLow

Zeelandmostly inland floodingLow

Zeelandmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Zeeland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Zeeland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Zeeland. 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 Zeeland total about $1.7M 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.