Natural hazards · Sand Fork

Sand Fork, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sand Fork comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sand Fork?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sand Fork to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding91%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Sand Fork 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 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 Sand Fork flood?

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

27paid claims since 1978

$166Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

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

Insurance rates: Gilmer County.

Disasters that hit Sand Fork

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Sand ForkDeclared for Gilmer County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

19 households applied for aid $76K aid approved $12K to the Town of Sand Fork for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

17 households applied for aid $67K aid approved

Gilmer County has had 22 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. Sand Fork 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 Sand Fork’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sand Fork. 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.