Natural hazards · Cedar Bluff

Cedar Bluff, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cedar Bluff comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1981. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cedar Bluff?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cedar Bluff to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Cold waves12%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Cedar Bluff 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

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cedar Bluff flood?

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

11paid claims since 1981

$68Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Virginia Flash Flooding: 2 claims, $7K

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

Insurance rates: Tazewell County.

Disasters that hit Cedar Bluff

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Cedar BluffDeclared for Tazewell County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

270 households applied for aid $254K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

64 households applied for aid $81K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2003

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

4 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Tazewell County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Cedar Bluff

Cedar Bluff and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cedar Bluffmostly inland floodingHigh

Claypool Hillmostly inland floodingHigh

Richlandsmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Cedar Bluff 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 Cedar Bluff’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cedar Bluff. 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.