Natural hazards · Charleston

Charleston, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charleston comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1997. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Charleston?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charleston to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes62%Tornadoes12%Inland flooding12%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Charleston faces

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

Earthquakes

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 95 years in the area

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Charleston flood?

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

7paid claims since 1997

$249Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 5 claims, $237K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mississippi County.

Disasters that hit Charleston

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestonDeclared for Mississippi County only

2025

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

22 households applied for aid $116K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

99 households applied for aid $552K aid approved $5.5M to the City of Charleston for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$458K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

$20K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$51K to the City of Charleston for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $833 aid approved

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$35K to the City of Charleston for repairs

Mississippi County has had 20 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. Charleston covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charleston’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Charleston. 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 Charleston total about $5.3M 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.