Natural hazards · Irmo

Irmo, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Irmo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1987. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Irmo?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Irmo to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes15%Hurricanes11%Earthquakes7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Irmo faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Irmo flood?

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

33paid claims since 1987

$403Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 14 claims, $304K
Hurricane Hugo: 1 claim, $3K

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

Insurance rates: Richland County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Irmo

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IrmoDeclared for Richland County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1,659 households applied for aid $566K aid approved $67K to the Town of Irmo for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1 household applied for aid

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

739 households applied for aid $512K aid approved

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$1K to the Town of Irmo for repairs

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

Around Irmo

Irmo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Seven Oaksmostly inland floodingModerate

Irmomostly inland floodingModerate

Columbiamostly inland floodingLow

Lake Murray of Richlandmostly 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. Irmo covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Irmo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Irmo. 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 Irmo total about $3.3M 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.