Natural Disasters in Alderson, WV

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

28.3

Very Low

Expected Annual Loss

18.9

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

84.0

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

14.7

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Landslide89.2Cold Wave67.8Avalanche53.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Landslide	89.2
Cold Wave	67.8
Avalanche	53.4
Wildfire	50.3
Hurricane	45.6
Earthquake	44.1
Lightning	40.8
Winter Weather	39.0
Drought	35.1
Strong Wind	23.5
Hail	17.9
Ice Storm	15.4
Tornado	9.7
Heat Wave	1.8

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

Flood

9 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Feb 26, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 3, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Jun 25, 2016	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
May 21, 2015	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Oct 29, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Jul 23, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Jun 30, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS
Mar 29, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUDSLIDES, AND LANDSLIDES
Mar 2, 2010	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Sep 5, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Nov 21, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES
Mar 14, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, RECORD/NEAR RECORD SNOW, HEAVY RAINS, FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES
Jun 3, 2001	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES
Jan 25, 1996	Flood	FLOODING
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96 (SEVERE SNOW STORM)
Mar 17, 1993	Snowstorm	SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM
Nov 7, 1985	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Aug 24, 1977	Drought	DROUGHT

Showing 20 of 27 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

791

Total IA Distributed

$1,692,994

Repair/Replace

$736,039

Rental Assistance

$185,337

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1893	3	N/A	$15,401
DR-4273	490	$986,362	$4,017
DR-4517	77	$472,717	—
DR-1500	78	$182,073	$3,481
DR-4071	127	$25,983	$390
DR-1455	16	$25,859	$3,698

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

943

Total Claims Paid

$25,716,234

Avg Claim Payout

$27,271

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$13,377,108

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

133

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4273	Flood	67	$11,490,256
DR-4861	Severe Storm(s)	12	$615,347
DR-4517	Biological	9	$473,616
DR-4679	Severe Storm(s)	6	$469,715
DR-4071	Severe Storm(s)	23	$234,863
DR-1500	Severe Storm(s)	14	$88,667
DR-3358	Hurricane	2	$4,645

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$305,736

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.62

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$293,654
207.2: Mitigation Reconstruction	1	$0
200.3: Acquisition of Public Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$12,082

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

Alderson has a very low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are landslide, cold wave, avalanche. The area has had 27 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is flood (9 declarations). 943 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $13,377,108 in public assistance recovery funding. $1,692,994 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 3 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.