Natural hazards · Pocola

Pocola, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pocola comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2015. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pocola?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pocola to be higher than in 56% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding41%Tornadoes18%Heat waves11%Wildfire9%Ice storms7%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Pocola faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 32 years in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 25 times a year in the area

Wildfire

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Pocola flood?

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

2paid claims since 2015

$68Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20152026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 1 claim, $33K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Le Flore County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Pocola

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PocolaDeclared for Le Flore County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

6 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2019

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

8 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $56K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

2015

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

10 households applied for aid $79K aid approved $303K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$94K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$28K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$66K to the Town of Pocola for repairs

Le Flore County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.

Around Pocola

Pocola and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rock Islandmostly inland floodingVery high

Pocolamostly inland floodingModerate

Arkomamostly inland floodingModerate

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. Pocola covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pocola’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Pocola. 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 Pocola total about $2.2M 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.