Natural Disasters in Berea, KY

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

74.8

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

77.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

28.5

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

62.3

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Lightning94.3Strong Wind88.6Winter Weather85.9

Hazard	Risk Score
Lightning	94.3
Strong Wind	88.6
Winter Weather	85.9
Tornado	85.3
Cold Wave	83.7
Hail	82.7
Earthquake	76.8
Ice Storm	72.9
Heat Wave	61.1
Wildfire	52.0
Hurricane	50.6
Landslide	48.4
Avalanche	25.3
Drought	20.7

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

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

11 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Apr 24, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 3, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Feb 16, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES
Apr 10, 2023	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 23, 2021	Flood	SEVERE, STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 31, 2021	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 28, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Apr 17, 2019	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
May 1, 2015	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Jul 23, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
May 11, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUDSLIDES, AND TORNADOES
May 29, 2009	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES
Feb 5, 2009	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING
Jan 28, 2009	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Jun 10, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Jun 3, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUD AND ROCK SLIDES, AND TORNADOES
Mar 3, 1998	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM

Showing 20 of 27 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

302

Total IA Distributed

$1,050,438

Repair/Replace

$637,731

Rental Assistance

$63,626

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4663	2	N/A	—
DR-1523	2	N/A	—
DR-1912	165	$542,638	$4,234
DR-4497	39	$262,626	—
DR-1925	49	$129,906	$1,981
DR-1471	16	$53,980	$3,832
DR-4864	3	$34,123	$4,223
DR-4595	15	$23,236	$1,536
DR-4217	10	$3,128	$525
DR-4611	1	$800	—

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

119

Total Claims Paid

$2,874,783

Avg Claim Payout

$24,158

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$3,357,191

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

125

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1818	Severe Ice Storm	42	$1,739,233
DR-4592	Severe Storm(s)	8	$443,957
DR-1912	Severe Storm(s)	39	$392,626
DR-4428	Severe Storm(s)	2	$282,461
DR-1925	Severe Storm(s)	17	$171,421
DR-1841	Severe Storm(s)	5	$166,112
DR-4217	Flood	4	$65,873
DR-4497	Biological	2	$51,156
DR-4864	Severe Storm(s)	4	$36,662
DR-4702	Severe Storm(s)	1	$4,125
DR-4595	Severe Storm(s)	1	$3,564

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$6,939,811

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

2.27

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan); 601.1: Generators	2	$389,989
601.1: Generators	2	$31,844
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$237,830
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	1	$6,280,148

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

Berea has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are lightning, strong wind, winter weather. The area has had 27 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (11 declarations). 119 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $3,357,191 in public assistance recovery funding. $1,050,438 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 6 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.