Flood history · Wilkes Barre, PA 18705
Flood insurance claims in Wilkes Barre, PA 18705
109 claims since 1978 and $2.1 million paid. Here's what the public record shows, and how to check a specific address.
Claims by year
Every NFIP flood insurance claim reported in ZIP 18705 since 1978.
What the record says
About 70% of claims here were on properties rated outside high-risk zones (zones X, B or C). A lower-risk zone on the map is not a guarantee.
Losses are spread across many events; the largest, Tropical Storm Lee, accounts for 26% of claims.
No claims were recorded in the last 10 years. Older floods still show what the area can do.
The most commonly recorded cause is heavy rain or snowmelt collecting faster than it drains, which can happen far from any river or coast.
Wilkes-Barre, City Of takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System (class 6), which can lower flood insurance premiums by up to 20% in high-risk zones.
Biggest flood events
| Event | Year | Claims | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011 | 28 | 26% |
| Unnamed flooding | 1996 | 27 | 25% |
| Tropical Storm Ivan | 2004 | 6 | 6% |
| Hurricane Gloria | 1985 | 4 | 4% |
| Not a named storm | 1979 | 2 | 2% |
Flood zone at time of claim
NFIP communities
Federal disaster declarations in Luzerne County
Flood, hurricane and storm declarations since 2000.
12 flood, storm or hurricane declarations for Luzerne County since 2000.
Check a specific address in Wilkes Barre.
ZIP-level history is the backdrop. See the official FEMA flood zone, ground elevation and next steps for one property, free.
Sources: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) and Disaster Declarations Summaries, FEMA NFIP Community Status Book; place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Data as of 2026-10-09. Payments are net building + contents payments in dollars at the time paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims are grouped by the ZIP code reported on the claim. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA. Information only; not an official flood zone determination or insurance advice.
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