Natural hazards · Vienna

Vienna, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vienna comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vienna?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vienna to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Vienna 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 81% 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 Vienna flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978

$290Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 9 claims, $183K
Not a named storm: 2 claims, $843

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

Insurance rates: Wood County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Vienna

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ViennaDeclared for Wood County only

2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

9 households applied for aid $25K to the City of Vienna for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

30 households applied for aid $30K aid approved

Wood County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Vienna

Vienna and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Parkersburgmostly inland floodingHigh

Viennamostly inland floodingModerate

North Hillsmostly inland floodingLow

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. Vienna covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vienna’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Vienna. 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 Vienna total about $2.7M 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.