Natural hazards · Nanticoke

Nanticoke, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nanticoke comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 55 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nanticoke?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nanticoke to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding65%Cold waves14%Tornadoes5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Nanticoke faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Nanticoke flood?

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

55paid claims since 1979

$955Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 5 claims, $214K
Tropical Storm Lee: 5 claims, $335K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Nanticoke 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Nanticoke

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NanticokeDeclared for Luzerne County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

173 households applied for aid $647K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

9 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

63 households applied for aid $117K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

75 households applied for aid $110K aid approved

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

Around Nanticoke

Nanticoke and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plymouthmostly inland floodingVery high

Newportmostly inland floodingModerate

Hanovermostly inland floodingModerate

Nanticokemostly 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. Nanticoke covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nanticoke’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nanticoke. 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 Nanticoke total about $2.1M 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.