Natural hazards · Roanoke Rapids

Roanoke Rapids, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Roanoke Rapids comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 30 claims here since 1989. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Roanoke Rapids?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Roanoke Rapids to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding51%Hurricanes16%Tornadoes15%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Roanoke Rapids faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Roanoke Rapids flood?

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

30paid claims since 1989

$456Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 15 claims, $299K
Hurricane Isabel: 2 claims, $5K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $7K

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. Roanoke Rapids isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Halifax County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

23flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Roanoke Rapids

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Roanoke RapidsDeclared for Halifax County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

113 households applied for aid $56K aid approved $22K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

1,232 households applied for aid $541K aid approved $810K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

234 households applied for aid $112K aid approved $72K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

1,406 households applied for aid $928K aid approved $339K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$132K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$13K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$722K to the City of Roanoke Rapids for repairs

Halifax County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Roanoke Rapids

Roanoke Rapids and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Rosemarymostly inland floodingModerate

Roanoke Rapidsmostly inland floodingLow

Weldonmostly inland floodingLow

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. Roanoke Rapids covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Roanoke Rapids’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Roanoke Rapids. 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 Roanoke Rapids total about $4.4M 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.