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Aerial of runway at Cold Bay, Izembek National Wildlife RefugePhoto: US Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain
–Not graded
Natural hazards in Cold Bay · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Cold Bay

Cold Bay isn’t graded for hazard risk: Cold Bay has 145 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

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

What Cold Bay faces

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

Tsunamis

80%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts

Earthquakes

16%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 10% of U.S. census tracts
Smaller shares here
 Volcanic activity top 0% Landslides top 0% Winter storms Tornadoes Wildfire Ice storms Lightning Avalanches top 0%
FEMA models no building damage here
River and rain floodingCoastal floodingHurricanesHailStrong windCold wavesHeat waves
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts volcanic activity at 22% of Cold Bay’s expected losses. Volcanic activity does 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. 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 Cold Bay flood? No paid flood claims on record

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

Disasters

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money to Cold Bay

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

  1. 1999Severe Winter Storms and Avalanches$8K to the City of Cold Bay for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Cold BayAleutians East Borough only

Aleutians East Borough has had 1 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms.

Were you here?

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

Add to the Cold Bay archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Cold Bay faces

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

Tsunamis
  • Strong shaking or a sudden drop in the sea means head for high ground now.
  • Learn the tsunami route signs near the shore.
  • Stay away until officials say it’s safe.
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 Cold Bay

Is Cold Bay 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.

How much is flood insurance in Cold Bay?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Cold Bay’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 Cold Bay?

By FEMA money that reached Cold Bay, Severe Winter Storms and Avalanches (1999): $8K to the City of Cold Bay for repairs.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Cold Bay.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Cold Bay’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.