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Natural hazards · South River

South River, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in South River comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 371 claims here since 1980. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is South River?

45
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in South River to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding66%Earthquakes9%Strong wind5%Everything else20%
By hazard

What South River faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 South River flood?

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

371paid claims since 1980
$14.4Mpaid to owners
52homes flooded more than once
19802026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 143 claims, $11.3M
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 66 claims, $1.4M
  • Hurricane Irene: 60 claims, $816K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (15) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. South River isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Middlesex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

359flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit South River

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in South River itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of South River.

Brought FEMA money into South RiverDeclared for Middlesex County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

91 households applied for aid $105K aid approved
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$95K to the Borough of South River for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

850 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $1.7M to the Borough of South River for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

99 households applied for aid $167K aid approved $46K to the Borough of South River for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Borough of South River for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

95 households applied for aid $222K aid approved $79K to the Borough of South River for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

15 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $8K to the Borough of South River for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$10K to the Borough of South River for repairs
Middlesex County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around South River

South River and the towns around it

Sayreville: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Brunswick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOld Bridge: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEdison: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Amboy: Low, mostly inland floodingWoodbridge: Low, mostly inland floodingPerth Amboy: Very low, mostly inland floodingSouth Brunswick: Low, mostly inland floodingMilltown: Very high, mostly inland floodingNorth Brunswick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Brunswick: High, mostly inland floodingSpotswood: High, mostly inland floodingHelmetta: High, mostly inland floodingMonroe: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth River: Moderate, mostly inland flooding South RiverSayrevilleEast Brunswick
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
East Brunswickmostly inland floodingModerate
South Rivermostly inland floodingModerate
Sayrevillemostly 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. South River covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to South River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of South River. 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 South River total about $4.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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