Russell County Disaster Risk

Russell County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 37th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Russell County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: earthquake (55th percentile), wildfire (54th percentile), hurricane (51th percentile), flooding (48th percentile), tornado (16th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is earthquake at the 55th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Russell County's composite risk percentile is 37th, compared to the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Russell County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Virginia.

Yes, Russell County's earthquake risk is at the 55th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Russell County is at the 48th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Russell County's composite risk score of 37th percentile is above the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by earthquake exposure (55th percentile), along with wildfire and hurricane risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.