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Natural hazards · Des Moines

Des Moines, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Des Moines comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1990. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Des Moines?

74
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Des Moines to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes81%Inland flooding15%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Des Moines faces

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

Earthquakes

81% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

15% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanches
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 Des Moines flood?

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

12paid claims since 1990
$417Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19902026

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
No community discount. Des Moines isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: King County.
Disasters that hit Des Moines

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Des MoinesDeclared for King County only
2025

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

2 households applied for aid $790 aid approved
2024

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

$22K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$53K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $372K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$13K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $5K aid approved
2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$38K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

12 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $122K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2001

Earthquake

$27K to the City of Des Moines for repairs
King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Des Moines

Des Moines and the towns around it

Federal Way: High, mostly earthquakesKent: Very high, mostly earthquakesSeaTac: Very high, mostly earthquakesNormandy Park: High, mostly earthquakesBurien: High, mostly earthquakesLakeland South: High, mostly earthquakesLakeland North: High, mostly earthquakesMilton: High, mostly earthquakesAuburn: Very high, mostly earthquakesTacoma: High, mostly earthquakesTukwila: Very high, mostly earthquakesCovington: High, mostly earthquakesRenton: Very high, mostly earthquakesLake Morton-Berrydale: High, mostly earthquakesMaple Valley: High, mostly inland floodingBoulevard Park: Very high, mostly earthquakesWhite Center: High, mostly earthquakesSeattle: High, mostly earthquakesDes Moines: High, mostly earthquakes Des MoinesFederal WayKentSeaTacNormandy ParkBurien
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
SeaTacmostly earthquakesVery high
Kentmostly earthquakesVery high
Burienmostly earthquakesHigh
Des Moinesmostly earthquakesHigh
Normandy Parkmostly earthquakesHigh
Federal Waymostly earthquakesHigh
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. Des Moines covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Des Moines’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Des Moines. 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 Des Moines total about $17.3M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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