Natural hazards · Centralia

Centralia, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Centralia comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 698 claims here since 1986. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Centralia?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Centralia to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes61%Inland flooding37%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Centralia faces

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

Earthquakes

61% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% 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 Centralia flood?

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

698paid claims since 1986

$26.7Mpaid to owners

48homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 233 claims, $14.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (13) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Centralia is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lewis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

156homes raised above flood level

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Centralia

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CentraliaDeclared for Lewis County only

2025

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

6 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2024

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

$211K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding

$622K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2020

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$98K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$222K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $155K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$7K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1,086 households applied for aid $5.3M aid approved $482K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$80K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

10 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $125K to the City of Centralia for repairs

2001

Earthquake

$60K to the City of Centralia for repairs

Lewis County has had 33 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Centralia

Centralia and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Centraliamostly earthquakesVery high

Chehalismostly earthquakesVery high

Fords Prairiemostly earthquakesVery high

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. Centralia covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Centralia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Centralia. 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 Centralia total about $4.7M 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.