Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1984. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes20%Cold waves16%Earthquakes7%Strong wind7%Lightning6%Everything else8%

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

37% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesDrought

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 Richmond flood?

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

17paid claims since 1984

$254Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19842026

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Richmond is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Madison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Richmond

6 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 Madison County only

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

23 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

73 households applied for aid $114K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

326 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

12 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2003

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

32 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

Madison County has had 25 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. 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 $8.0M 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.