Natural hazards · Bellaire

Bellaire, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bellaire comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bellaire?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bellaire to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Bellaire faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bellaire flood?

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

50paid claims since 1978

$451Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 17 claims, $273K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $2K

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

Insurance rates: Belmont County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

54flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Bellaire

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellaireDeclared for Belmont County only

2018

Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$777K to the Village of Bellaire for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

48 households applied for aid $61K aid approved $12K to the Village of Bellaire for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

256 households applied for aid $823K aid approved $87K to the Village of Bellaire for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

16 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $8K to the Village of Bellaire for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$9K to the Village of Bellaire for repairs

Belmont County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Bellaire

Bellaire and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Benwoodmostly inland floodingVery high

Wheelingmostly inland floodingVery high

McMechenmostly inland floodingVery high

Bellairemostly inland floodingVery high

Pultneymostly inland floodingHigh

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. Bellaire covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bellaire’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Bellaire. 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 Bellaire total about $1.6M 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.