Natural hazards · Damascus

Damascus, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Damascus comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 52 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Damascus?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Damascus to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Damascus faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

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 Damascus flood?

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

52paid claims since 1979

$1.8Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 10 claims, $253K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $5K
Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wayne County.

Disasters that hit Damascus

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DamascusDeclared for Wayne County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

21 households applied for aid $53K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

24 households applied for aid $51K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Wayne County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Damascus

Damascus and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Manchestermostly inland floodingHigh

Tustenmostly inland floodingHigh

Delawaremostly inland floodingHigh

Damascusmostly inland floodingModerate

Berlinmostly inland floodingModerate

Cochectonmostly inland floodingLow

Oregonmostly inland floodingVery low

Lebanonmostly 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. Damascus covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Damascus’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Damascus. 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 Damascus total about $1.7M 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.