Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 427 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 13% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding56%Earthquakes21%Heat waves7%Tornadoes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Richmond faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Richmond flood?

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

427paid claims since 1978

$11.3Mpaid to owners

60homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 4 claims, $52K
November 2009 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $4K
Hurricane Isabel: 2 claims, $34K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Richmond is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: the county.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Richmond

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for the county only

2018

Hurricane Florence

$163K to the City of Richmond for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$1.9M to the City of Richmond for repairs

2006

Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding

$30.1M to the City of Richmond for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston

3,845 households applied for aid $7.6M aid approved $11.8M to the City of Richmond for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

10,265 households applied for aid $4.2M aid approved $7.4M to the City of Richmond for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$234K to the City of Richmond for repairs

the county has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Meadowbrookmostly inland floodingLow

Tuckahoemostly inland floodingLow

Lakesidemostly inland floodingLow

Manchestermostly inland floodingLow

Bon Airmostly inland floodingVery low

Richmondmostly inland floodingVery low

Bensleymostly inland floodingVery low

Montrosemostly inland floodingVery low

East Highland Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Richmond covers 75 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $39.2M 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.