Natural hazards · Matewan

Matewan, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Matewan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 117 claims here since 1978. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Matewan?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Matewan to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Matewan faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic 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 Matewan flood?

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

117paid claims since 1978

$2.6Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Storm: 9 claims, $176K
February West Virginia Flooding: 2 claims, $97K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $5K

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

Insurance rates: Mingo County.

Disasters that hit Matewan

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MatewanDeclared for Mingo County only

2025

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

88 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $1.1M to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

$83K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$218K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

3 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $17K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2012

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Lanslides

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $8K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$4K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

144 households applied for aid $582K aid approved $1.2M to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$22K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

37 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $22K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

3 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2003

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

6 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $5K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$34K to the Town of Matewan for repairs

Mingo County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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

Matewan, WV natural hazards

How exposed is Matewan?

What Matewan faces

Inland flooding

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Matewan flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Lanslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

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

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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