Natural hazards · Sullivan

Sullivan, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sullivan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sullivan?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sullivan to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding34%Earthquakes18%Tornadoes15%Heat waves13%Cold waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Sullivan faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times 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 Sullivan flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Sullivan

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SullivanDeclared for Franklin County only

2025

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

2 households applied for aid

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2015

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

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$75K to the City of Sullivan for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

Franklin County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Sullivan

Sullivan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Sullivanmostly cold wavesLow

Sullivanmostly inland floodingLow

Oak Grove Villagemostly inland floodingLow

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