Natural hazards · Marlinton

Marlinton, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Marlinton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 492 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Marlinton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Marlinton to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Cold waves10%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Marlinton faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 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 Marlinton flood?

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

492paid claims since 1978

$13.4Mpaid to owners

74homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Summer severe storms: 5 claims, $167K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (16) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pocahontas County.

Disasters that hit Marlinton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MarlintonDeclared for Pocahontas County only

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

71 households applied for aid $102K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

11 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$13K to the Town of Marlinton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Town of Marlinton for repairs

2003

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

$15K to the Town of Marlinton for repairs

Pocahontas County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods 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. Marlinton 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 Marlinton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Marlinton. 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.