Natural hazards · Lima

Lima, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lima comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lima?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lima to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Tornadoes9%Earthquakes6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Lima faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Lima flood?

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

14paid claims since 1979

$128Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 1 claim, $2K
Tropical Storm Erin: 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. Lima isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Allen County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Lima

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LimaDeclared for Allen County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$148K to the City of Lima for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

126 households applied for aid $147K aid approved $19K to the City of Lima for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

46 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $786K to the City of Lima for repairs

Allen County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Lima

Lima and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Americanmostly inland floodingModerate

Limamostly inland floodingModerate

Shawneemostly inland floodingModerate

Bathmostly inland floodingLow

Perrymostly 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. Lima covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lima’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lima. 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 Lima total about $10.8M 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.