Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 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 Richmond?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding56%Tornadoes25%Strong wind6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Richmond faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Richmond flood?

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

9paid claims since 1981

$70Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

2026-08-Indiana-Flooding: 3 claims, $49K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wayne County.

Disasters that hit Richmond

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Wayne County only

2026

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

152 households applied for aid $659K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$165K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

6 households applied for aid $915 aid approved $1K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2004

Snow

$55K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$45K to the City of Richmond for repairs

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

Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waynemostly inland floodingModerate

Richmondmostly inland floodingModerate

Spring Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Centermostly 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. Richmond covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $11.0M 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.