Natural hazards · West Hamlin

West Hamlin, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Hamlin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 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 West Hamlin?

96
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Hamlin to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%
By hazard

What West Hamlin faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 West Hamlin flood?

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

7paid claims since 1978
$14Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $2K

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit West Hamlin

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West HamlinDeclared for Lincoln County only
2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of West Hamlin for repairs
2021

Severe Winter Storms

$7K to the Town of West Hamlin for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2012

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Lanslides

3 households applied for aid $365 aid approved
2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

13 households applied for aid $5K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

8 households applied for aid $9K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

50 households applied for aid $148K aid approved
2003

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

23 households applied for aid $39K aid approved
Lincoln County has had 32 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. West Hamlin 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 West Hamlin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of West Hamlin. 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