Natural hazards · Tamaqua

Tamaqua, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tamaqua comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tamaqua?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tamaqua to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves5%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Tamaqua 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 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 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 Tamaqua flood?

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

31paid claims since 1979

$290Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $9K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $170

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

Insurance rates: Schuylkill County.

Disasters that hit Tamaqua

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TamaquaDeclared for Schuylkill County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

81 households applied for aid $53K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

6 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

Schuylkill County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Tamaqua

Tamaqua and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tamaquamostly inland floodingHigh

West Pennmostly inland floodingModerate

Coaldalemostly inland floodingVery low

Walkermostly inland floodingVery low

Schuylkillmostly inland floodingVery low

Summit Hillmostly 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. Tamaqua covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tamaqua’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Tamaqua. 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 Tamaqua total about $2.6M 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.