Natural hazards · Shinnston

Shinnston, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Shinnston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 32 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Shinnston?

83
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Shinnston to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding93%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Shinnston faces

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

Inland flooding

93% 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 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 Shinnston flood?

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

32paid claims since 1978
$163Kpaid to owners
6homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $785

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. Shinnston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Harrison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Shinnston

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ShinnstonDeclared for Harrison County only
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $12K aid approved
2017

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

10 households applied for aid $37K aid approved
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$5K to the City of Shinnston for repairs
2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

18 households applied for aid $60K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

119 households applied for aid $712K aid approved $34K to the City of Shinnston for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

19 households applied for aid $57K aid approved
2003

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

4 households applied for aid $7K to the City of Shinnston for repairs
2000

Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides

$13K to the City of Shinnston for repairs
Harrison County has had 20 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. Shinnston covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Shinnston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Shinnston. 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 Shinnston total about $1.4M 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.

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