Natural Disasters in Seward, KS

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

23.1

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

26.9

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

37.0

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

49.6

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Drought94.1Hail85.2Wildfire81.1

Hazard	Risk Score
Drought	94.1
Hail	85.2
Wildfire	81.1
Cold Wave	62.0
Ice Storm	60.3
Tornado	38.8
Strong Wind	34.8
Winter Weather	28.1
Heat Wave	18.5
Earthquake	18.4
Lightning	5.7
Landslide	1.6

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Severe Storm

Jul 2025

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

15 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jul 22, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
May 21, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND WILDFIRES
Aug 20, 2024	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Apr 28, 2024	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Oct 26, 2023	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
May 25, 2022	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Feb 17, 2022	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Jun 20, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING,LANDSLIDES,AND MUDSLIDES
Feb 24, 2017	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Apr 26, 2013	Snowstorm	SNOWSTORM
May 24, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING
Jul 29, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jun 24, 2009	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND RECORD AND NEAR RECORD SNOW
Jul 9, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING AND TORNADOES
Feb 1, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS
Dec 12, 2007	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS
May 6, 2007	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jan 7, 2007	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION

Showing 20 of 24 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

Total IA Distributed

$48,131

Repair/Replace

$15,016

Rental Assistance

$904

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4504	5	$30,940	—
DR-1699	30	$17,190	$3,541

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$227,539

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4304	Severe Ice Storm	8	$98,910
DR-1741	Severe Storm(s)	8	$85,361
DR-4449	Other	3	$23,706
DR-4063	Severe Storm(s)	11	$19,562

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$404,818

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.99

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures	2	$384,462
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	1	$20,356

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Seward has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are drought, hail, wildfire. The area has had 24 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (15 declarations). FEMA has obligated $227,539 in public assistance recovery funding. $48,131 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 3 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.