Natural hazards · Elk

Elk, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elk comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2011. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elk?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elk to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes60%Inland flooding14%Tornadoes6%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Elk faces

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

Earthquakes

60% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

6% 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 weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Elk flood?

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

2paid claims since 2011

$13Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $13K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Stoddard County.

Disasters that hit Elk

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElkDeclared for Stoddard County only

2025

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

$472K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2015

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

$27K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$43K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$14K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$40K to the Township of Elk for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$16K to the Township of Elk for repairs

Stoddard County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Elk

Elk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elkmostly earthquakesVery high

Libertymostly earthquakesVery high

Richlandmostly earthquakesVery high

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. Elk covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elk’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Elk. 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 Elk total about $3.8M 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.