Moca Municipio, Puerto Rico
Municipio storm and disaster record · FIPS 72099 · population 37,426 · 50 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 135 records for Moca Municipio, Puerto Rico from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 113 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (39 records). 97 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 March 15, 2025 rip current, filed for the forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1975, 18 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
- 135on 113 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 109 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Moca Municipio most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 39 since 2002. Census land area gives no figure for Moca Municipio under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 39 | 30 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.6M | – |
| Heat | 26 | 26 | 2023-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Landslides and avalanches | 25 | 23 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13K | – |
| Rip currents and high surf | 10 | 10 | 2012-2025 | 8 | 4 | $1.2M | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 6 | 2000-2024 | 1 | 0 | $70K | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 10 | 8 | 2013-2025 | 0 | 0 | $27K | – |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2005-2024 | 0 | 2 | $312K | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 3 | $15K | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2001-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2013-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $105K | – |
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 Moca Municipio had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Moca Municipio from 2011 to 2011, 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 Moca 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 Moca Municipio (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-07 | Moca Municipio | EF0 0.8 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
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 Moca Municipio?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 17, 2026 debris flow.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-29 | Funnel CloudMoca Municipio | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-17 | Debris FlowMoca Municipio | 0 | 0 | $400 | |
| 2026-03-27 | FloodMoca Municipio | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-02-28 | Strong WindAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 22 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| 2026-02-03 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-10-20 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-03 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-09-06 | Debris FlowMoca Municipio | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-09-06 | FloodMoca Municipio | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindMoca Municipio | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-03-20 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-03-20 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-15 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 61-year-old male tourist from California drowned at Sandy Beach in Barrio Puntas, Rincon, after struggling in the water. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-03-02 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 49-year-old woman was swept away by rip currents while surfing at Steps beach in Rincon. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-12-20 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A tourist drowned while swimming with his son on Sandy Beach, Rincon. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-11-28 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 26-year-old male was surfing in Domes Beach, Rincon, and was caught in a rip current and drowned. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-10-20 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 72-year-old male surfer was found unresponsive in the water near Playa Tres Palmas in Rincn. The individual was struck by his surfboard, lost consciousness, and subsequently drowned in the presence of high surf and strong currents. Bystanders and authorities recovered the victim, who was later pronounced deceased. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-08 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 71-year-old male tourist drowned after being swept away by rip currents at a beach near a hotel on PR-115 in Barrio Caguabo, Anasco. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-01-28 | Rip CurrentAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 61 year old male was found from New Jersey was found dead in Black Eagle Beach in Rincon. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-12-21 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 4 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity A 23 years old surfer drowned at Maria beach in Rincon. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-06 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 5 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2005-02-01 | WildfireAguada Municipio and 4 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $302K | |
| 2011-08-07 | TornadoMoca Municipio | EF0 0.8 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2026-02-03 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2026-02-28 | Strong WindAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 22 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| 2025-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindMoca Municipio | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-01-11 | High SurfAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $4K | |
| 2025-03-20 | Coastal FloodAguada Municipio and 6 more · forecast zone Mayaguez And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 Moca 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 | 20 | 10 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 7 | 4 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Moca Municipio. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 5 · Feb 3 · Mar 11 · Apr 7 · May 21 · Jun 14 · Jul 10 · Aug 19 · Sep 20 · Oct 13 · Nov 8 · Dec 4 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Moca Municipio
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Moca Municipio: 10 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-13 | EM-3610 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Ernesto |
| 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 |
| 2004-09-17 | DR-1552 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Jeanne and Resulting Landslides and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1996-09-11 | DR-1136 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hortense |
| 1986-07-10 | DR-768 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Flooding & Mudslides |
| 1975-09-19 | DR-483 | Flood | Tropical Storm Elioise |
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.
Counties that share a border with Moca 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 Moca MunicipioThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Moca Municipio's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis