Natural hazards · Delaware

Delaware, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Delaware comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Delaware?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Delaware to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Delaware faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Delaware flood?

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

42paid claims since 1978

$794Kpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 5 claims, $54K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $4K

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

Insurance rates: Sullivan County.

Disasters that hit Delaware

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DelawareDeclared for Sullivan County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$22K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$8K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$87K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$118K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

$29K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$25K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2003

Snow

$10K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$25K to the Town of Delaware for repairs

Sullivan County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Delaware

Delaware and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Manchestermostly inland floodingHigh

Fremontmostly inland floodingHigh

Delawaremostly inland floodingHigh

Callicoonmostly inland floodingHigh

Jeffersonvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Damascusmostly inland floodingModerate

Cochectonmostly inland floodingLow

Bethelmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Delaware covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Delaware’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Delaware. 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 Delaware total about $1.9M 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.