Natural hazards · Institute

Institute, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Institute comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2004. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Institute?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Institute to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Institute faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Institute flood?

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

7paid claims since 2004

$138Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20042026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kanawha County.

Disasters that hit Institute

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into InstituteDeclared for Kanawha County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

5 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides

1 household applied for aid

Kanawha County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Institute

Institute and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Nitromostly inland floodingVery high

Institutemostly 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. Institute covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Institute’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Institute. 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 Institute total about $1.5M 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.