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Natural hazards · Richwood

Richwood, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richwood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 121 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Richwood?

93
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richwood to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding79%Cold waves18%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Richwood faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Richwood flood?

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

121paid claims since 1978
$6.6Mpaid to owners
11homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Summer severe storms: 38 claims, $3.8M
  • Heavy rains: 20 claims, $328K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Richwood isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Nicholas County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

22flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Richwood

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichwoodDeclared for Nicholas County only
2024

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

14 households applied for aid $96K aid approved
2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

408 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $2.4M to the City of Richwood for repairs
2015

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

$29K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$11K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

45 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $8K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$4K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

4 households applied for aid $14K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

171 households applied for aid $497K aid approved $111K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2003

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

8 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $3K to the City of Richwood for repairs
2001

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$18K to the City of Richwood for repairs
Nicholas County has had 21 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. Richwood 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 Richwood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richwood. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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