Natural hazards · Lucama

Lucama, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lucama comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2016. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lucama?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lucama to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding38%Hurricanes26%Drought11%Tornadoes7%Heat waves5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Lucama faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Drought

11% of expected damage

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 53 years in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Lucama flood?

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

1paid claims since 2016

$20Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $20K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wilson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Lucama

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LucamaDeclared for Wilson County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

19 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $11K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

38 households applied for aid $35K aid approved $16K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

21 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $26K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

8 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $18K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$6K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$117K to the Town of Lucama for repairs

Wilson County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Lucama covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lucama’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Lucama. 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 Lucama total about $1.3M 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.