Natural hazards · Big Sandy

Big Sandy, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Big Sandy comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Big Sandy?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Big Sandy to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding33%Cold waves22%Earthquakes21%Tornadoes12%Strong wind5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Big Sandy faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Big Sandy flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Benton County.

Disasters that hit Big Sandy

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Big Sandy itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Big Sandy.

Brought FEMA money into Big SandyDeclared for Benton County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

26 households applied for aid $135K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Big Sandy for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

12 households applied for aid $28K aid approved $5K to the Town of Big Sandy for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $96K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Benton County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

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. Big Sandy is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Big Sandy’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Big Sandy. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.