Natural hazards · Smithfield

Smithfield, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Smithfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 29 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Smithfield?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Smithfield to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding42%Hurricanes25%Coastal flooding9%Tornadoes6%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Smithfield faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Coastal flooding

9% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Smithfield flood?

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

29paid claims since 1982

$608Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

November 2009 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $154K
Hurricane Isabel: 4 claims, $66K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $850

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Smithfield isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Isle of Wight County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Smithfield

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SmithfieldDeclared for Isle of Wight County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

$145K to the Town of Smithfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$69K to the Town of Smithfield for repairs

2006

Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Smithfield for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

827 households applied for aid $478K aid approved $299K to the Town of Smithfield for repairs

Isle of Wight County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Smithfield covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Smithfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Smithfield. 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 Smithfield total about $4.0M 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.