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–Not graded
Natural hazards in Alakanuk · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Alakanuk

Alakanuk isn’t graded for hazard risk: Alakanuk has 864 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
7
of 1 declared for
By hazard

What Alakanuk faces

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

Winter storms

40%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 28 times a year in the area

Wildfire

28%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. census tracts

Earthquakes

28%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 64% of U.S. census tracts
Smaller shares here
 Cold waves Ice storms Lightning Landslides Tornadoes Hail Strong wind Volcanic activity
FEMA models no building damage here
River and rain floodingCoastal floodingHurricanesHeat wavesAvalanchesTsunamis
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts cold waves at 98% of Alakanuk’s expected losses. Cold waves do little damage to buildings (2.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, winter storms is FEMA’s “Winter Weather” (snow, sleet and freezing rain). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Alakanuk flood? No paid flood claims on record

FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Alakanuk. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.

of all homes are insured
No community discount

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

Insurance rates: the county.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
18flood-prone homes bought out and moved
2homes raised above flood level
Disasters

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Alakanuk

Disasters that paid out in Alakanuk itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Alakanuk), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2025Severe Storms, Flooding, and Remnants of Typhoon Halong26 households applied for aid$307K aid approved
  2. 2023Flooding50 households applied for aid$443K aid approved
  3. 2022Severe Storm, Flooding, and Landslides55 households applied for aid$439K aid approved$3.5M to the City of Alakanuk for repairs
  4. 2013Flooding69 households applied for aid$541K aid approved$4.8M to the City of Alakanuk for repairs
  5. 2009Flooding and Ice Jams20 households applied for aid$137K aid approved$324K to the City of Alakanuk for repairs
  6. 2006Snow Melt and Ice Jam Flooding$192K to the City of Alakanuk for repairs
Show all 7
  1. 2002Flooding$108K to the City of Alakanuk for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Alakanuk only

has had 1 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods.

Were you here?

Old photos of Alakanuk after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Alakanuk archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Alakanuk faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

Winter storms
  • Keep a shovel, a blanket and snacks in the car.
  • Clear snow from furnace and dryer vents.
  • Check on older neighbors when the power goes out.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Wildfire
  • Clear dead leaves and brush within 5 feet of the house.
  • Sign up for local alerts and know two ways out.
  • Keep N95 masks for smoky days.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Earthquakes
  • Drop, cover and hold on.
  • Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
  • Know how to shut off the gas.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Alakanuk

Is Alakanuk in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In the county, 0.6% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.

How much is flood insurance in Alakanuk?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Alakanuk’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Alakanuk?

By FEMA money that reached Alakanuk, Flooding (2013): 69 households applied for aid, $541K approved, and $4.8M to the City of Alakanuk for repairs.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Alakanuk.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Alakanuk’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.