Harvey County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harvey County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Harvey County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Harvey County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (16), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Fire | Cottonwood Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 38.9 | 16 | 0 | $800 |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 72 | 0 | $30K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Harvey County ranks in the 42nd percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 42nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 48th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 90 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 54 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (-33% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Harvey County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harvey County, Kansas are winter weather, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Harvey County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harvey County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Harvey County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harvey County include Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Harvey County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sedgwick County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Rice County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Harvey County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Harvey County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harvey County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Harvey County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.