Natural hazards · Busti

Busti, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Busti comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Busti?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Busti to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Tornadoes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Busti faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Busti flood?

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

9paid claims since 1979

$58Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chautauqua County.

Disasters that hit Busti

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BustiDeclared for Chautauqua County only

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the Town of Busti for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$32K to the Town of Busti for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$28K to the Town of Busti for repairs

2001

Snow

$15K to the Town of Busti for repairs

2000

Snow

$9K to the Town of Busti for repairs

1999

Snow

$4K to the Town of Busti for repairs

Chautauqua County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Busti

Busti and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Harmonymostly inland floodingHigh

Jamestownmostly inland floodingHigh

Ellicottmostly inland floodingHigh

Kiantonemostly inland floodingHigh

Sugar Grovemostly inland floodingHigh

Harmonymostly inland floodingModerate

Lakewoodmostly inland floodingModerate

Bustimostly 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. Busti covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Busti’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Busti. 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 Busti total about $2.7M 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.