Natural hazards · Donora

Donora, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Donora comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Donora?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Donora to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Donora faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 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 Donora flood?

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

2paid claims since 1979

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Donora

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DonoraDeclared for Washington County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid $499 aid approved

Washington County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Donora

Donora and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Donoramostly inland floodingModerate

Carrollmostly inland floodingLow

Rostravermostly 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. Donora covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Donora’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Donora. 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 Donora total about $1.4M 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.