Natural hazards · Smyrna

Smyrna, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smyrna comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smyrna?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smyrna to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves20%Hurricanes14%Heat waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Smyrna faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Smyrna flood?

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

10paid claims since 1979

$105Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $7K
Hurricane Gloria: 1 claim, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kent County.

Disasters that hit Smyrna

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmyrnaDeclared for Kent County only

2026

Severe Winter Storm

$7K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$19K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$24K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$43K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

3 households applied for aid $287 aid approved $12K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

2003

Snow

$17K to the Town of Smyrna for repairs

Kent County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. Smyrna covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Smyrna’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna total about $3.1M 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.