Natural hazards · Nitro

Nitro, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nitro comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1980. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nitro?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nitro to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding95%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Nitro faces

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

Inland flooding

95% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Nitro flood?

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

35paid claims since 1980

$209Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19802026

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. Nitro 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Nitro

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NitroDeclared for Kanawha County only

2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $5K aid approved

2024

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

12 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$1K to the City of Nitro for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

30 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $26K to the City of Nitro for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

25 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

20 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $7K to the City of Nitro for repairs

2003

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

4 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

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

Around Nitro

Nitro and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Nitromostly inland floodingVery high

Jeffersonmostly inland floodingVery high

Cross Lanesmostly inland floodingHigh

Institutemostly inland floodingHigh

Teays Valleymostly inland floodingModerate

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. Nitro covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nitro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nitro. 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 Nitro total about $3.2M 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.