Natural hazards · Philippi

Philippi, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Philippi comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 216 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 Philippi?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding91%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Philippi faces

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

Inland flooding

91% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once 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 Philippi flood?

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

216paid claims since 1978

$2.8Mpaid to owners

25homes flooded more than once

19782026

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Philippi is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Barbour County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

35flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Philippi

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PhilippiDeclared for Barbour County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$127K to the City of Philippi for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$101K to the City of Philippi for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

70 households applied for aid $131K aid approved $65K to the City of Philippi for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$8K to the City of Philippi for repairs

2000

Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides

$28K to the City of Philippi for repairs

Barbour County has had 16 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. Philippi covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Philippi’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Philippi. 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 Philippi total about $2.4M 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.