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Las Vegas survival atlas

Clark County, Nevada

Reviewed · Data: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) · U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 · By SOS.city, made by the people for the people
In an emergency, call 911

Las Vegas’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, heat waves and earthquakes. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 96% of the natural-hazard risk for Clark County, home to all of Las Vegas’s 679,817 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Very High. Here is what to do for each, step by step.

People
679,817
Census estimate, July 1, 2025. No. 24 in the U.S.
County
Clark County
All of Las Vegas’s residents. FEMA rates counties, not cities.
Overall risk
Very High
Score 99.55 of 100. No. 10 of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
Expected loss
$813 million
A year, from all 18 natural hazards (FEMA estimate).
Top 3 hazards
96%
of the county’s risk comes from these three: Inland flooding · Heat wave · Earthquake.

What to do for Las Vegas’s top hazards

The one rule to remember, then the first steps, word for word from our guides. Each guide lists its sources.

No. 1 · 45% of the risk · Very High

Inland flooding

FEMA score 99.61: higher than 99.6% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $362 million a year.

RememberTurn around, don't drown.
  1. Get to high ground now.
  2. Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
  3. Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Every step: What to do in a flood or flash flood
Source // National Weather Service: Turn Around Don’t Drown · Ready.gov: Floods
No. 2 · 36% of the risk · Very High

Heat wave

FEMA score 99.90: higher than 99.9% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $295 million a year.

RememberGet somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone.
  1. Use air conditioning, or go to a library, mall or cooling center.
  2. Heat stroke signs: confusion, slurred speech, collapse; hot, dry or soaked skin; 103°F or higher.
  3. Call 911.
Every step: What to do in extreme heat and heat stroke
Source // National Weather Service: Heat safety · CDC/NIOSH: Heat-related illnesses
No. 3 · 15% of the risk · Relatively High

Earthquake

FEMA score 99.10: higher than 99.1% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $124 million a year.

RememberDrop. Cover. Hold on.
  1. Drop to your hands and knees.
  2. Cover your head and neck, under a sturdy table if one is close.
  3. Hold on until the shaking stops. Don't run outside or stand in a doorway.
Every step: What to do during an earthquake
Source // Ready.gov: Earthquakes · Great ShakeOut: Drop, Cover, and Hold On
Emergency911
Poison Help1-800-222-1222
Can’t reach family?Text, don’t call. Texts often get through when calls don’t.

All 18 natural hazards in Las Vegas, ranked

Ranked by each hazard’s share of Clark County’s risk in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The score compares the county with every other U.S. county for that one hazard.

#HazardShare of riskFEMA ratingScoreExpected loss a yearThe rule
1 Inland flooding 45% Very High 99.61 $362 million Turn around, don't drown.
2 Heat wave 36% Very High 99.90 $295 million Get somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone.
3 Earthquake 15% Relatively High 99.10 $124 million Drop. Cover. Hold on.
4 Wildfire 3.0% Relatively High 99.14 $24.5 million Leave early. Know two ways out.
5 Hail 0.5% Relatively High 97.32 $4.3 million Large hail coming? Get inside a sturdy building and away from the windows.
6 Avalanche 0.1% Relatively Moderate 85.08 $913,000 Check your local avalanche center before backcountry travel.
7 Lightning 0.1% Relatively High 85.84 $891,000 When thunder roars, go indoors.
8 Strong wind <0.1% Relatively Moderate 66.53 $804,000 Shelter in an interior room, away from windows.
9 Winter weather <0.1% Relatively Moderate 61.58 $89,000 Stay in your shelter, or stay with your car.
10 Landslide <0.1% Relatively Moderate 92.08 $70,000 Follow local alerts. Leave when officials say so.
11 Tornado <0.1% Very Low 9.22 $51,000 Lowest floor, interior room, cover your head.
12 Drought <0.1% Very Low 16.69 $1,000 Store water now: 1 gallon per person per day.
13 Volcanic activity <0.1% Very Low 36.48 $4 Evacuate early. In ashfall, stay in and wear an N95.
14 Cold wave <0.1% Very Low 2.63 $1 One warm room. Never heat with an oven or a grill.
– Coastal flooding – Not applicable – – Run from the water. Hide from the wind.
– Hurricane – No rating – – Know your evacuation zone. Told to go? Go early.
– Ice storm – Not applicable – – Stay off the roads. One warm room.
– Tsunami – Not applicable – – Strong or long shaking near the sea: go high now.

Source // FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county 32003. Rules: SOS.city survival guides.

How to read these numbers

  • Share of risk. For each hazard, FEMA estimates the loss each year to buildings, people and farms, then adjusts it for social vulnerability and community resilience. The county’s overall risk is the sum of all 18, so the share shows how much of it each hazard carries.
  • Score. A percentile from 0 to 100. A score of 99.5 means the county’s risk for that hazard is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties.
  • Rating. FEMA sorts counties into five groups, from Very Low to Very High.
  • Big places rank high. Expected losses grow with the number of people and buildings exposed, so large urban counties rank high on many hazards. A high rating means plan for it, not that it will happen this year.
  • County, not street. These ratings cover the whole county. For flood risk at your address, look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
  • Clark County is rated Relatively Moderate for social vulnerability and Very Low for community resilience. Both feed into its overall rating.

Questions people ask

What natural disasters is Las Vegas most at risk for?

Las Vegas’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, heat waves and earthquakes. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 96% of the natural-hazard risk for Clark County, home to all of Las Vegas’s 679,817 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Very High.

How does FEMA rate Las Vegas’s overall disaster risk?

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall risk of Clark County Very High, with a score of 99.55 out of 100. The score is a percentile: Clark County’s overall risk is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties. Expected losses from natural hazards there average $813 million a year.

What should I do first to get ready in Las Vegas?

Write down your top three: inland flooding, heat waves and earthquakes. Turn on Emergency Alerts on every phone and sign up for your county’s alerts. Store water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, 2 weeks if you can.

Sources

Every number on this page comes from these public datasets. We check them when we review the page.

General safety information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials.

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