Natural hazards · Appalachia

Appalachia, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Appalachia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Appalachia?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Appalachia to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding82%Cold waves11%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Appalachia faces

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

Inland flooding

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Appalachia flood?

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

9paid claims since 1980

$23Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

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

Insurance rates: Wise County.

Disasters that hit Appalachia

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AppalachiaDeclared for Wise County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

18 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $7K to the Town of Appalachia for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$11K to the Town of Appalachia for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

20 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $33K to the Town of Appalachia for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$89K to the Town of Appalachia for repairs

Wise County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Appalachia is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Appalachia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Appalachia. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.