Natural hazards · Williamson

Williamson, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williamson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 465 claims here since 1978. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Williamson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williamson to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding90%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Williamson faces

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

Inland flooding

90% 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 Williamson flood?

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

465paid claims since 1978

$12.8Mpaid to owners

16homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

February West Virginia Flooding: 16 claims, $1.5M
Storm: 4 claims, $152K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $901

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

Insurance rates: Mingo County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Williamson

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilliamsonDeclared for Mingo County only

2025

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

406 households applied for aid $4.4M aid approved $1.2M to the City of Williamson for repairs

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

44 households applied for aid $189K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$56K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

5 households applied for aid $308 aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Lanslides

3 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

8 households applied for aid $18K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

109 households applied for aid $198K aid approved $57K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$41K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

392 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $178K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

20 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2003

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

36 households applied for aid $101K aid approved $27K to the City of Williamson for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$80K to the City of Williamson for repairs

Mingo County has had 30 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. Williamson 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 Williamson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Williamson. 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.