Natural hazards · Seneca

Seneca, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Seneca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1986. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Seneca?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Seneca to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Tornadoes11%Heat waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Seneca faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 22 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Seneca flood?

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

31paid claims since 1986

$490Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Late spring severe storms: 13 claims, $281K

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

Insurance rates: Newton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Seneca

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SenecaDeclared for Newton County only

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

113 households applied for aid $190K aid approved $137K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2015

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

5 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $10K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

70 households applied for aid $226K aid approved $52K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

85 households applied for aid $294K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $120 aid approved $102K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$26K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$32K to the City of Seneca for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

Newton County has had 24 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. Seneca 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 Seneca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Seneca. 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.