Natural hazards · Moriah

Moriah, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Moriah comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2019. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Moriah?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Moriah to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and avalanches.

Inland flooding43%Avalanches39%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Moriah faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Avalanches

39% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Moriah flood?

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

1paid claims since 2019

$53Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20192026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Essex County.

Disasters that hit Moriah

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MoriahDeclared for Essex County only

2024

Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$1.3M to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$923K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$88K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

7 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $347K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$262K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$39K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$55K to the Town of Moriah for repairs

Essex County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Moriah

Moriah and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Crown Pointmostly inland floodingHigh

Westportmostly inland floodingHigh

North Hudsonmostly inland floodingHigh

Elizabethtownmostly inland floodingModerate

Moriahmostly inland floodingModerate

Addisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Pantonmostly 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. Moriah covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Moriah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Moriah. 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 Moriah total about $2.4M 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.