Natural Disasters in Columbus, OH

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

98.1

Relatively High

Expected Annual Loss

98.0

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

38.2

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

65.3

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Cold Wave99.2Heat Wave98.9Hail98.5

Hazard	Risk Score
Cold Wave	99.2
Heat Wave	98.9
Hail	98.5
Tornado	98.4
Winter Weather	96.3
Strong Wind	96.0
Lightning	95.0
Earthquake	93.3
Ice Storm	87.5
Landslide	64.2
Drought	57.6
Hurricane	49.7
Wildfire	29.1

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

Biological

Mar 2020

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

11 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Mar 31, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Aug 20, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Jun 30, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS
Oct 24, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE WIND STORM ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL DEPRESSION IKE
Apr 24, 2008	Snowstorm	RECORD SNOW AND NEAR RECORD SNOW
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Feb 15, 2005	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Jan 11, 2005	Snowstorm	SNOW
Sep 19, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 26, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUDSLIDES, AND LANDSLIDES
Aug 1, 2003	Tornado	TORNADOES, FLOODING, SEVERE STORMS, AND HIGH WINDS
Mar 14, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND RECORD/NEAR RECORD SNOW
Nov 18, 2002	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES
Jun 30, 1998	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES
Aug 4, 1992	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING
Jun 6, 1990	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING
Jun 10, 1989	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Jan 26, 1978	Snowstorm	BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS
Apr 4, 1974	Tornado	TORNADOES

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

1,328

Total Claims Paid

$7,842,204

Avg Claim Payout

$5,905

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$94,843,748

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

519

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4507	Biological	62	$83,092,464
DR-1805	Severe Storm(s)	149	$5,127,782
DR-4077	Severe Storm(s)	89	$2,122,383
DR-3286	Snow	79	$1,740,456
DR-1580	Severe Storm(s)	57	$947,122
DR-1453	Severe Storm(s)	40	$913,366
DR-3198	Snow	27	$704,421
DR-3250	Hurricane	4	$97,105
DR-1556	Severe Storm(s)	4	$62,002
DR-1720	Severe Storm(s)	8	$36,648

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$1,107,485

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

4.76

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	1	$9,582
206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures	1	$725,841
800.1: Miscellaneous	1	$881
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$371,181

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

Columbus has a relatively high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are cold wave, heat wave, hail. The area has had 20 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (11 declarations). 1,328 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $94,843,748 in public assistance recovery funding. 4 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.