Natural hazards · Avoca

Avoca, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Avoca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Avoca?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Avoca to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves9%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Avoca faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Avoca flood?

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

23paid claims since 1978

$109Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Gloria: 4 claims, $13K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $13K

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

Insurance rates: Luzerne County.

Disasters that hit Avoca

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AvocaDeclared for Luzerne County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

1 household applied for aid

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

21 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

Luzerne County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Avoca

Avoca and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Duryeamostly inland floodingVery high

Avocamostly inland floodingHigh

Dupontmostly inland floodingModerate

Pittstonmostly 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. Avoca covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Avoca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Avoca. 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 Avoca total about $801K 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.