Natural hazards · Martin

Martin, SD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Martin comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Martin?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Martin to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves30%Inland flooding22%Wildfire11%Tornadoes11%Strong wind7%Hail6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Martin faces

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

Cold waves

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Wildfire

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Martin flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Martin.

Disasters that hit Martin

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MartinDeclared for Bennett County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$13K to the City of Martin for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

26 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

Bennett County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Martin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Martin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Martin. 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 Martin total about $492K 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.