Natural hazards · Matamoras

Matamoras, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Matamoras comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 40 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Matamoras?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Matamoras to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves12%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Matamoras 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 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% 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 Matamoras flood?

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

40paid claims since 1981

$598Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $8K
Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $3K

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

Insurance rates: Pike County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Matamoras

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MatamorasDeclared for Pike County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

75 households applied for aid $134K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

103 households applied for aid $355K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

12 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

Pike County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Matamoras

Matamoras and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westfallmostly inland floodingVery high

Port Jervismostly inland floodingVery high

Matamorasmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Matamoras covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Matamoras’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Matamoras. 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 Matamoras total about $963K 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.