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Natural hazards · Selmer

Selmer, TN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Selmer comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1983. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Selmer?

69
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Selmer to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes36%Inland flooding31%Cold waves14%Tornadoes9%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Selmer faces

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

Earthquakes

36% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 18 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Selmer flood?

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

7paid claims since 1983
$705Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19832026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $27K
  • Late spring storms: 1 claim, $37K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Selmer isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: McNairy County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built
1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Selmer

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SelmerDeclared for McNairy County only
2026

Severe Winter Storm

333 households applied for aid $467K aid approved $249K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2025

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

300 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $901K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

45 households applied for aid $106K aid approved $38K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$202K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2019

Severe Storm and Straight-Line Winds

$23K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$43K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2014

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

$44K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2010

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

346 households applied for aid $414K aid approved $313K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
2008

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

12 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
1999

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Selmer for repairs
McNairy County has had 17 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. Selmer 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 Selmer’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Selmer. 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.

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