Lajas Municipio, Puerto Rico
Municipio storm and disaster record · FIPS 72079 · population 23,255 · 60 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 84 records for Lajas Municipio, Puerto Rico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 71 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (20 records). 64 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the September 14, 2004 tropical storm, filed for the forecast zone Southwest, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1970, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Storm Ernesto” on August 13, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 84on 71 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 40 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Lajas Municipio most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 20 since 2003. 60% of its floods and flash floods since 2003 fell in October and November. Census land area gives no figure for Lajas Municipio under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 20 | 14 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | – |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 2023-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 8 | 2000-2024 | 2 | 0 | $77K | – |
| Wildfires | 8 | 7 | 2005-2014 | 0 | 0 | $302K | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 0 | $333K | – |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 4 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2001-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Rip currents and high surf | 3 | 3 | 2007-2023 | 2 | 0 | $14K | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | $22K | – |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | – |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $1K | – |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2016-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1K | – |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | $969 | – |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | $115K | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Lajas Municipio had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Lajas Municipio from 2019 to 2019, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 1 tornado whose track touched Lajas Municipio since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Puerto Rico.
Every tornado record filed for Lajas Municipio (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-27 | Lajas Municipio | EF0 0.5 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | $115K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Lajas Municipio?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 18, 2026 flood ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-18 | FloodLajas Municipio | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2023-07-04 | Rip CurrentCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-07-27 | TornadoLajas Municipio | EF0 0.5 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | $115K |
| 2015-07-11 | Rip CurrentCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-16 | Strong WindCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2005-03-01 | DroughtCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2005-02-01 | WildfireCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 0 | 0 | $302K | |
| 2004-09-14 | Tropical StormCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-11-10 | FloodCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 0 | 0 | $6.4M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-14 | Tropical StormCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest Tropical Storm Jeanne and its associated weather affected Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra from Sep. 14-17. On its wake it left considerable damages to the electric power grid, the water supply system, highways and roads, bridges, schools, individual households, businesses and commerce due to extensive flooding, ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-04 | Rip CurrentCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest A 44-year-old male drowned when he was swept away by rip currents in Balneario Cana Gorda in Guanica. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-07-11 | Rip CurrentCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest A 53 year old man was carried away by rip currents at 3 Tubos Beach in Joyudas Cabo Rojo. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-03-01 | DroughtCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2011-08-16 | Strong WindCabo Rojo Municipio and 2 more · forecast zone Southwest | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2019-07-27 | TornadoLajas Municipio | EF0 0.5 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | $115K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Lajas Municipio's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% of its floods and flash floods since 2003 fell in October and November. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 1 · Feb 6 · Mar 4 · Apr 4 · May 3 · Jun 12 · Jul 11 · Aug 11 · Sep 10 · Oct 8 · Nov 13 · Dec 1 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lajas Municipio
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Lajas Municipio: 16 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-13 | EM-3610 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Ernesto |
| 2024-07-23 | DR-4805 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-09-21 | DR-4671 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fiona |
| 2022-09-18 | EM-3583 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fiona |
| 2020-08-22 | EM-3537 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Laura |
| 2020-07-29 | EM-3532 | Hurricane | Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4493 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3452 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020-01-16 | DR-4473 | Earthquake | Earthquakes |
| 2020-01-07 | EM-3426 | Earthquake | Earthquakes |
| 2019-08-27 | EM-3417 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Dorian |
| 2017-09-20 | DR-4339 | Hurricane | Hurricane Maria |
| 2017-09-18 | EM-3391 | Hurricane | Hurricane Maria |
| 2011-08-22 | EM-3326 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2008-10-01 | DR-1798 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-09-17 | DR-1552 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Jeanne and Resulting Landslides and Mudslides |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1501 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1372 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides |
| 1999-11-17 | EM-3151 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lenny |
| 1998-09-24 | DR-1247 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1992-01-22 | DR-931 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1987-12-17 | DR-805 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-10-10 | DR-746 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
| 1979-09-02 | DR-597 | Hurricane | Hurricane David |
| 1975-09-19 | DR-483 | Flood | Tropical Storm Elioise |
| 1974-08-29 | EM-3002 | Drought | Impact of Drought |
| 1970-10-12 | DR-296 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Lajas Municipio had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Lajas Municipio from 2003 to 2026, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lajas Municipio ranks 1960th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Jeanne | 2004-09-14 | 1 | 2 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $107,000 on 27 claims filed in Lajas Municipio; the most in one year was 7 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 2 · 1998: 2 · 2001: 5 · 2003: 5 · 2008: 7; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Counties that share a border with Lajas Municipio
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in Puerto RicoEvery Puerto Rico tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Floods in Puerto RicoThe state's floods and flash floods, by county, year and month
- The Puerto Rico recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Lajas MunicipioThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lajas Municipio's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis