Natural Disasters in Columbia, VA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

13.5

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

18.3

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

26.9

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

59.5

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Hurricane67.7Earthquake67.3Drought62.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Hurricane	67.7
Earthquake	67.3
Drought	62.4
Landslide	44.1
Strong Wind	36.1
Heat Wave	33.9
Lightning	32.4
Tornado	23.5
Ice Storm	22.4
Hail	18.6
Wildfire	16.3
Winter Weather	12.4
Cold Wave	4.4

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

Mar 2022

Most Common Type

Hurricane

7 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Mar 11, 2022	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Apr 2, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Dec 18, 2018	Hurricane	TROPICAL STORM MICHAEL
Sep 11, 2018	Hurricane	HURRICANE FLORENCE
Oct 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Jul 27, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Nov 4, 2011	Earthquake	EARTHQUAKE
Apr 27, 2010	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORMS
Sep 12, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Sep 18, 2003	Hurricane	HURRICANE ISABEL
Feb 28, 2000	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS
Sep 6, 1996	Hurricane	HURRICANE FRAN AND ASSOCIATED SEVERE STORM COND
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96 (SEVERE SNOW STORM)
Apr 11, 1994	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER ICE STORM
Mar 10, 1994	Snowstorm	SEVERE ICE STORMS, FLOODING
Mar 25, 1993	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Nov 9, 1985	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Jul 23, 1977	Drought	DROUGHT
Oct 10, 1972	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING

Showing 20 of 22 declarations

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

Total Claims Paid

$276,616

Avg Claim Payout

$12,027

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$169,933

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1905	Snow	1	$105,138
DR-4644	Winter Storm	4	$64,795

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$135,477

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.00

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$135,477

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

Columbia has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are hurricane, earthquake, drought. The area has had 22 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is hurricane (7 declarations). 23 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $169,933 in public assistance recovery funding. 1 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.