Natural hazards · West

West, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes54%Inland flooding13%Cold waves13%Tornadoes8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What West faces

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

Earthquakes

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

13% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 West flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in West.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit West

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WestDeclared for Franklin County only

2004

Record/Near Record Snow

$2K to the Village of West for repairs

Franklin County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe 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. West covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of West. 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 West total about $2.7M 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.