Natural hazards · Bonne Terre

Bonne Terre, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bonne Terre comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bonne Terre?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bonne Terre to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding28%Heat waves20%Earthquakes16%Tornadoes15%Strong wind9%Cold waves8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Bonne Terre faces

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

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Bonne Terre flood?

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

13paid claims since 1979

$217Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $4K
Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $14K
March storm: 1 claim, $96K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Francois County.

Disasters that hit Bonne Terre

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Bonne TerreDeclared for St. Francois County only

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$13K to the City of Bonne Terre for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $11K to the City of Bonne Terre for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

St. Francois County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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. Bonne Terre covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bonne Terre’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bonne Terre. 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 Bonne Terre total about $3.6M 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.

Bonne Terre, MO natural hazards

How exposed is Bonne Terre?

What Bonne Terre faces

Inland flooding

Heat waves

Earthquakes

Tornadoes

Strong wind

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Bonne Terre flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby