Natural hazards · Ripley

Ripley, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ripley comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 68 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ripley?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ripley to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Ripley faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times 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 Ripley flood?

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

68paid claims since 1978

$903Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 26 claims, $121K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $7K

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

Insurance rates: Jackson County.

Disasters that hit Ripley

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RipleyDeclared for Jackson County only

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

7 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$47K to the City of Ripley for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

11 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $1K to the City of Ripley for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

10 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

12 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2003

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

98 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $13K to the City of Ripley for repairs

Jackson County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe 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. Ripley 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 Ripley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ripley. 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.