Natural Disaster Risk in Mazeppa

Natural Hazard Profile: Mazeppa, Minnesota

Mazeppa is a small community of about 2,199 in Wabasha County, in the interior eastern United States. The area experiences some of the harshest winters in the lower 48 and warm summers, with severe blizzards and spring tornado outbreaks shaping the pattern of natural hazards that residents encounter. Understanding the local risk profile is essential for anyone living in, moving to, or owning property in Mazeppa.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Mazeppa carries an overall risk score of 5.0/10, placing it in the moderate category. Slope instability and debris flows are the primary natural hazard, driven by a combination of local geology, precipitation intensity, and terrain that creates susceptibility to failure. The area also faces notable exposure to hail and wind.

Mazeppa's risk score, near the 5.2/10 state average and near the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Wabasha County, the highest-scoring are landslide, hail, and wind. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

With a moderate risk rating, Mazeppa residents are well-served by maintaining standard preparedness practices — an emergency supply kit, awareness of local hazard seasonality, and insurance that covers the top local risks. Periodic review of coverage for landslide is recommended.