Natural hazards · Phenix

Phenix, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Phenix comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1981. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Phenix?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Phenix to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Tornadoes9%Heat waves7%Hurricanes5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Phenix faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Phenix flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Phenix, from FEMA’s records.

35paid claims since 1981

$756Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Central U.S. April Flooding: 3 claims, $224K
Early winter storms: 2 claims, $40K
Hurricane Irma: 1 claim, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Phenix isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Russell County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28storm safe rooms built

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Phenix

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Phenix itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Phenix.

Brought FEMA money into PhenixDeclared for Russell County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

$17K to the City of Phenix for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$302K to the City of Phenix for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$367K to the City of Phenix for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line

$113K to the City of Phenix for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$1K to the City of Phenix for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

38 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $492 aid approved $102K to the City of Phenix for repairs

Russell County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Phenix

Phenix and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Phenix Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Smiths Stationmostly inland floodingLow

Ladoniamostly inland floodingLow

Columbusmostly inland floodingLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Phenix covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Phenix’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Phenix. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Phenix total about $8.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.