Natural hazards · London

London, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in London comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2013. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is London?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in London to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding34%Cold waves19%Tornadoes18%Hail8%Earthquakes8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What London faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Hail

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 London flood?

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

2paid claims since 2013

$29Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20132026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Laurel County.

Disasters that hit London

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LondonDeclared for Laurel County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

672 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $1.1M to the City of London for repairs

2025

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

2 households applied for aid

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

37 households applied for aid $81K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

40 households applied for aid $55K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

57 households applied for aid $54K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$14K to the City of London for repairs

Laurel County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

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. London covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to London’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of London. 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 London 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.