Natural hazards · Smithland

Smithland, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smithland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smithland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smithland to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding31%Earthquakes27%Tornadoes14%Strong wind7%Ice storms7%Cold waves5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Smithland faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 22 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Smithland flood?

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

3paid claims since 1979

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Livingston County.

Disasters that hit Smithland

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmithlandDeclared for Livingston County only

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

61 households applied for aid $352K aid approved $27K to the City of Smithland for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$37K to the City of Smithland for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$13K to the City of Smithland for repairs

Livingston County has had 25 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. Smithland 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 Smithland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Smithland. 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.