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Natural hazards · Bellevue

Bellevue, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bellevue comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 39 claims here since 1981. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bellevue?

77
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bellevue to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes80%Inland flooding18%Everything else1%
By hazard

What Bellevue faces

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

Earthquakes

80% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis
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 Bellevue flood?

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

39paid claims since 1981
$970Kpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19812026

Biggest named events

  • Winter storm: 1 claim, $41K

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
🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Bellevue is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: King County.
Disasters that hit Bellevue

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellevueDeclared for King County only
2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

11 households applied for aid $21K aid approved
2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$1.4M to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$203K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$947K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $713 aid approved
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$217K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

31 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $549K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$730K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

12 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $20K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $11K aid approved
2001

Earthquake

$485K to the City of Bellevue for repairs
King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Bellevue

Bellevue and the towns around it

Redmond: High, mostly earthquakesMedina: Moderate, mostly earthquakesBeaux Arts Village: High, mostly earthquakesIssaquah: Very high, mostly earthquakesNewcastle: High, mostly avalanchesKirkland: High, mostly earthquakesSammamish: High, mostly earthquakesClyde Hill: High, mostly earthquakesMercer Island: High, mostly earthquakesUnion Hill-Novelty Hill: High, mostly earthquakesCottage Lake: Moderate, mostly earthquakesSeattle: High, mostly earthquakesHunts Point: High, mostly earthquakesRenton: Very high, mostly earthquakesKenmore: High, mostly earthquakesYarrow Point: High, mostly earthquakesWoodinville: High, mostly earthquakesBothell: High, mostly earthquakesBellevue: High, mostly earthquakes BellevueRedmondMedinaBeaux Arts VillageIssaquahNewcastleKirklandSammamishClyde HillMercer Island
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Issaquahmostly earthquakesVery high
Bellevuemostly earthquakesHigh
Beaux Arts Villagemostly earthquakesHigh
Redmondmostly earthquakesHigh
Kirklandmostly earthquakesHigh
Newcastlemostly avalanchesHigh
Mercer Islandmostly earthquakesHigh
Sammamishmostly earthquakesHigh
Clyde Hillmostly earthquakesHigh
Medinamostly earthquakesModerate
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. Bellevue covers 33 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bellevue’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bellevue. 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 Bellevue total about $137M 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.

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