Natural hazards · Russell

Russell, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Russell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1989. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Russell?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Russell to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Strong wind7%Tornadoes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Russell faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Russell flood?

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

13paid claims since 1989

$164Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 1 claim, $15K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Geauga County.

Disasters that hit Russell

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RussellDeclared for Geauga County only

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$16K to the Township of Russell for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $541 aid approved

Geauga County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Russell

Russell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chagrin Fallsmostly inland floodingModerate

Russellmostly inland floodingLow

South Russellmostly inland floodingLow

Hunting Valleymostly inland floodingVery low

Chestermostly inland floodingVery low

Chesterlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Newburymostly inland floodingVery low

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. Russell covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Russell’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Russell. 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 Russell total about $1.5M 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.