Natural Disasters in Breaks, VA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

17.9

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

13.2

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

71.3

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

4.7

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Landslide93.4Wildfire83.3Avalanche65.8

Hazard	Risk Score
Landslide	93.4
Wildfire	83.3
Avalanche	65.8
Strong Wind	60.0
Hurricane	42.1
Cold Wave	38.4
Earthquake	36.0
Winter Weather	18.2
Lightning	13.0
Hail	9.7
Tornado	8.4
Heat Wave	6.8
Ice Storm	6.0

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

8 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 23, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Apr 4, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING
Oct 1, 2024	Tropical Storm	TROPICAL STORM HELENE
Sep 29, 2024	Tropical Storm	POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE HELENE
Sep 30, 2022	Severe Storm	FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES
Oct 26, 2021	Flood	FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 2, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Sep 11, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Feb 16, 2010	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Sep 12, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Jun 15, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Dec 9, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Mar 27, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, RECORD/NEAR RECORD SNOWFALL, HEAVY RAIN,FLOODIND, AND MUDSLIDE
May 5, 2002	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Nov 16, 2001	Fire	VA - FAR SOUTHWEST FIRE COMPLEX - 11/16/2001
Jul 12, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Feb 28, 2000	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96 (SEVERE SNOW STORM)

Showing 20 of 27 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

1,874

Total IA Distributed

$9,462,720

Repair/Replace

$7,344,669

Rental Assistance

$380,237

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4860	907	$6,495,816	$5,156
DR-1925	346	$1,829,140	$5,265
DR-4663	178	$335,022	$992
DR-1523	174	$314,145	$2,044
DR-1454	56	$129,512	$2,139
DR-1475	66	$86,577	$2,509
DR-1841	37	$78,133	$1,805
DR-1458	75	$66,871	$1,597
DR-4497	11	$58,486	—
DR-1976	16	$46,796	$4,076

Showing top 10 of 12 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

359

Total Claims Paid

$4,569,094

Avg Claim Payout

$12,727

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$2,520,907

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4674	Flood	15	$1,553,562
DR-4628	Flood	8	$778,695
DR-4863	Winter Storm	4	$184,900
DR-4831	Tropical Storm	1	$3,750

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$30,000

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.00

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	1	$30,000

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

Breaks has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are landslide, wildfire, avalanche. The area has had 27 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (8 declarations). 359 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $2,520,907 in public assistance recovery funding. $9,462,720 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 1 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.