Natural Disasters in Bellingham, MA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

92.0

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

94.0

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

12.8

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

93.0

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane92.2Earthquake91.5Ice Storm89.7

Hazard	Risk Score
Hurricane	92.2
Earthquake	91.5
Ice Storm	89.7
Heat Wave	89.6
Lightning	85.5
Coastal Flood	85.2
Cold Wave	73.9
Landslide	72.1
Tornado	69.0
Strong Wind	66.3
Wildfire	49.8
Winter Weather	49.2
Drought	41.4
Hail	10.2

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

Hurricane

Sep 2023

Most Common Type

Snowstorm

9 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Sep 15, 2023	Hurricane	HURRICANE LEE
Apr 18, 2022	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Mar 27, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Jul 19, 2018	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Jun 25, 2018	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING
Apr 13, 2015	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING
Apr 19, 2013	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING
Apr 17, 2013	Terrorist	EXPLOSIONS
Oct 28, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Nov 1, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM
Sep 3, 2011	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM IRENE
Aug 26, 2011	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRENE
Mar 7, 2011	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Sep 2, 2010	Hurricane	HURRICANE EARL
May 3, 2010	Other	WATER MAIN BREAK
Mar 29, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Nov 10, 2005	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Feb 17, 2005	Snowstorm	RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW

Showing 20 of 38 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

3,833

Total IA Distributed

$8,294,175

Repair/Replace

$4,205,379

Rental Assistance

$1,566,533

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4028	1	N/A	—
DR-1895	1,492	$1,976,956	$1,196
DR-4496	225	$1,284,893	—
DR-4766	301	$1,048,607	$1,666
DR-4505	198	$1,037,755	—
DR-4765	289	$1,002,166	$1,960
DR-1894	941	$925,174	$1,702
DR-4753	217	$739,707	$1,956
DR-1614	134	$211,912	$2,102
DR-4780	9	$36,218	$4,670

Showing top 10 of 13 disasters by IA amount

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

3,261

Total Claims Paid

$25,915,243

Avg Claim Payout

$7,947

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$96,804,706

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

1,057

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4496	Biological	178	$51,481,681
DR-4214	Severe Storm(s)	159	$9,261,346
DR-4372	Severe Storm(s)	68	$6,875,356
DR-4651	Winter Storm	40	$5,279,440
DR-4110	Severe Storm(s)	79	$4,855,562
DR-3201	Snow	74	$4,198,576
DR-4379	Winter Storm	69	$4,047,879
DR-1895	Severe Storm(s)	181	$3,362,860
DR-1959	Snow	55	$3,091,795
DR-3175	Snow	59	$2,243,191
DR-4028	Hurricane	87	$2,024,728
DR-3315	Hurricane	4	$42,494
DR-3362	Terrorist Attack	4	$39,797

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$13,788,383

Properties Protected

141

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

2.57

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
403.1: Stormwater Management - Culverts	11	$3,335,318
202.2: Elevation of Private Structures - Coastal	4	$1,378,991
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	4	$100,135
202.1: Elevation of Private Structures - Riverine; 202.2: Elevation of Private Structures - Coastal	3	$1,056,100
203.2: Wet Floodproofing Private Structures - Coastal	2	$119,660

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

Bellingham has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, earthquake, ice storm. The area has had 38 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is snowstorm (9 declarations). 3,261 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $96,804,706 in public assistance recovery funding. $8,294,175 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 40 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.