Kanawha County, WV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kanawha County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Kanawha County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 101% 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. Kanawha County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1967, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (10), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2014 | Chemical | Chemical Spill |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1967.
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 | Very Low | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.9 | 139 | 6 | $68.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76.3 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.2 | 8 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 64.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83 | 53 | 0 | $500K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 32.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.3 | 2 | 0 | $11K |
| Drought | Very Low | 23 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 75 | — | — | — |
| 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
Kanawha County ranks in the 53rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 47th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 48th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 38th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | Moderate |
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 | 84th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 202 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 67 in 2016–20 vs 135 in 2021–25 (+101% — frequency increasing).
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 Kanawha County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kanawha County, West Virginia are inland flooding, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Kanawha County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kanawha County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Kanawha County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kanawha County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Kanawha County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Putnam County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clay County, WV has the lowest (Very Low). Kanawha County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Kanawha County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kanawha 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. Kanawha County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.