Natural hazards · Belen

Belen, NM natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belen comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1988. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belen?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belen to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding74%Earthquakes17%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Belen faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Belen flood?

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

23paid claims since 1988

$421Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19882026

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

Insurance rates: Valencia County.

Disasters that hit Belen

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BelenDeclared for Valencia County only

2022

Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

64 households applied for aid $800 aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$575K to the City of Belen for repairs

Valencia County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Belen

Belen and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jaralesmostly inland floodingVery high

Pueblitosmostly inland floodingVery high

Los Chavesmostly inland floodingVery high

Sausalmostly inland floodingVery high

Belenmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Belen covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Belen. 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 Belen total about $3.9M 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.