Natural hazards · Eureka

Eureka, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Eureka comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 413 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Eureka?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Eureka to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding50%Heat waves29%Earthquakes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Eureka faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Eureka flood?

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

413paid claims since 1979

$5.7Mpaid to owners

19homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 33 claims, $341K
Midwest Flooding: 26 claims, $68K
Early winter storms: 22 claims, $2.0M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Eureka 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. Louis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

114flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Eureka

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EurekaDeclared for St. Louis County only

2025

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

2 households applied for aid

2022

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

107 households applied for aid $348K aid approved $285K to the City of Eureka for repairs

2015

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

213 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $233K to the City of Eureka for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

77 households applied for aid $284K aid approved

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$12K to the City of Eureka for repairs

2006

Severe Storms

$1K to the City of Eureka for repairs

St. Louis County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Eureka

Eureka and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pacificmostly inland floodingVery high

Eurekamostly inland floodingHigh

Wildwoodmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Eureka covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Eureka’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Eureka. 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 Eureka total about $6.6M 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.