Natural hazards · Refugio

Refugio, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Refugio comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Refugio?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Refugio to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and cold waves.

Hurricanes50%Cold waves20%Inland flooding18%Tornadoes5%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Refugio faces

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

Hurricanes

50% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Refugio flood?

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

23paid claims since 1978

$401Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Allen: 1 claim, $863
Hurricane Harvey: 1 claim, $146K

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

Insurance rates: Refugio County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Refugio

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RefugioDeclared for Refugio County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

$34K to the Town of Refugio for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

$20K to the Town of Refugio for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

1,307 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $7.1M to the Town of Refugio for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

$6K to the Town of Refugio for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Claudette

213 households applied for aid $255K aid approved $48K to the Town of Refugio for repairs

Refugio County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Refugio 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 Refugio’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Refugio. 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.