Natural hazards · La Plata

La Plata, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in La Plata comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is La Plata?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in La Plata to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes20%Heat waves6%Lightning6%Everything else20%

By hazard

What La Plata faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

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 La Plata flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in La Plata.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Macon County.

Disasters that hit La Plata

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into La PlataDeclared for Macon County only

2015

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

$50K to the City of La Plata for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$4K to the City of La Plata for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $31K aid approved $4K to the City of La Plata for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$2K to the City of La Plata for repairs

Macon County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.

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. La Plata 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 La Plata’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of La Plata. 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.