Natural hazards · Fallsburg

Fallsburg, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fallsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1981. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fallsburg?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fallsburg to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding75%Cold waves8%Tornadoes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Fallsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Fallsburg flood?

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

13paid claims since 1981

$92Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 5 claims, $35K
Late summer storms: 1 claim, $5K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $3K

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. Fallsburg 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 Fallsburg

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FallsburgDeclared for Sullivan County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$56K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

3 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $110K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

4 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $292K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved $67K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$507K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2003

Snow

$26K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$45K to the Town of Fallsburg for repairs

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

Around Fallsburg

Fallsburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wawarsingmostly inland floodingHigh

Neversinkmostly inland floodingHigh

Mamakatingmostly inland floodingModerate

Fallsburgmostly inland floodingLow

Libertymostly inland floodingVery low

Thompsonmostly 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. Fallsburg covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fallsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Fallsburg. 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 Fallsburg total about $6.9M 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.