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Natural hazards · Cumberland

Cumberland, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cumberland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 28 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Cumberland?

90
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cumberland to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves6%Strong wind6%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Cumberland faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cumberland flood?

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

28paid claims since 1978
$149Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Heavy rains: 1 claim, $549

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. Cumberland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Harlan County.
Disasters that hit Cumberland

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CumberlandDeclared for Harlan County only
2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

38 households applied for aid $127K aid approved $7K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$308K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2022

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $378K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$97K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2021

Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$19K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$1.4M to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$706K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$425K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$28K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

19 households applied for aid $69K aid approved $80K to the City of Cumberland for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid $4K aid approved
Harlan County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
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. Cumberland is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cumberland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cumberland. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

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