Natural hazards · Severn

Severn, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Severn comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1999. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Severn?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Severn to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding51%Hurricanes23%Tornadoes8%Drought7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Severn 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

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 24 years in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Severn flood?

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

6paid claims since 1999

$44Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 4 claims, $14K
Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $30K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Severn

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SevernDeclared for Northampton County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

12 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $8K to the Town of Severn for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

6 households applied for aid $7K to the Town of Severn for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

25 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $38K to the Town of Severn for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$4K to the Town of Severn for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$2K to the Town of Severn for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$72K to the Town of Severn for repairs

Northampton County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Severn 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 Severn’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Severn. 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.