Natural hazards · Altavista

Altavista, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Altavista comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1995. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Altavista?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Altavista to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Altavista faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Altavista flood?

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

8paid claims since 1995

$234Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19952026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Fran: 2 claims, $43K
Hurricane Eta: 1 claim, $77K

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

Insurance rates: Campbell County.

Disasters that hit Altavista

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AltavistaDeclared for Campbell County only

2003

Hurricane Isabel

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Campbell County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Altavista covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Altavista’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Altavista. 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 Altavista 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.