Washington, D.C. survival atlas
District of Columbia, District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, earthquakes and heat waves. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 78% of the natural-hazard risk for the District of Columbia, home to all of Washington, D.C.’s 693,645 residents. FEMA rates the District’s overall risk Relatively High. Here is what to do for each, step by step.
- People
- 693,645 Census estimate, July 1, 2025. No. 22 in the U.S.
- County
- District of Columbia All of Washington’s residents. FEMA rates counties, not cities.
- Overall risk
- Relatively High Score 97.58 of 100. No. 22 of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
- Expected loss
- $292 million A year, from all 18 natural hazards (FEMA estimate).
- Top 3 hazards
- 78% of the county’s risk comes from these three: Inland flooding · Earthquake · Heat wave.
What to do for Washington’s top hazards
The one rule to remember, then the first steps, word for word from our guides. Each guide lists its sources.
Inland flooding
FEMA score 97.42: higher than 97.4% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $130 million a year.
- Get to high ground now.
- Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
- Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Earthquake
FEMA score 98.25: higher than 98.2% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $61.1 million a year.
- Drop to your hands and knees.
- Cover your head and neck, under a sturdy table if one is close.
- Hold on until the shaking stops. Don't run outside or stand in a doorway.
Heat wave
FEMA score 99.19: higher than 99.1% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $39.7 million a year.
- Use air conditioning, or go to a library, mall or cooling center.
- Heat stroke signs: confusion, slurred speech, collapse; hot, dry or soaked skin; 103°F or higher.
- Call 911.
All 18 natural hazards in Washington, ranked
Ranked by each hazard’s share of District of Columbia’s risk in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The score compares the county with every other U.S. county for that one hazard.
| # | Hazard | Share of risk | FEMA rating | Score | Expected loss a year | The rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inland flooding | 44% | Relatively High | 97.42 | $130 million | Turn around, don't drown. |
| 2 | Earthquake | 21% | Relatively High | 98.25 | $61.1 million | Drop. Cover. Hold on. |
| 3 | Heat wave | 14% | Relatively High | 99.19 | $39.7 million | Get somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone. |
| 4 | Hurricane | 9.8% | Relatively High | 96.03 | $28.6 million | Know your evacuation zone. Told to go? Go early. |
| 5 | Cold wave | 3.6% | Relatively High | 94.14 | $10.5 million | One warm room. Never heat with an oven or a grill. |
| 6 | Tornado | 2.6% | Relatively High | 90.42 | $7.5 million | Lowest floor, interior room, cover your head. |
| 7 | Strong wind | 2.0% | Very High | 98.18 | $5.8 million | Shelter in an interior room, away from windows. |
| 8 | Hail | 1.4% | Relatively High | 97.01 | $4.2 million | Large hail coming? Get inside a sturdy building and away from the windows. |
| 9 | Lightning | 0.8% | Very High | 96.62 | $2.3 million | When thunder roars, go indoors. |
| 10 | Coastal flooding | 0.5% | Relatively Moderate | 74.00 | $1.5 million | Run from the water. Hide from the wind. |
| 11 | Winter weather | 0.3% | Very High | 96.81 | $946,000 | Stay in your shelter, or stay with your car. |
| 12 | Ice storm | <0.1% | Relatively Moderate | 70.20 | $222,000 | Stay off the roads. One warm room. |
| 13 | Landslide | <0.1% | Relatively Low | 80.85 | $17,000 | Follow local alerts. Leave when officials say so. |
| 14 | Wildfire | <0.1% | Very Low | 26.20 | $12,000 | Leave early. Know two ways out. |
| – | Avalanche | – | Not applicable | – | – | Check your local avalanche center before backcountry travel. |
| – | Drought | – | No rating | – | – | Store water now: 1 gallon per person per day. |
| – | Tsunami | – | Insufficient data | – | – | Strong or long shaking near the sea: go high now. |
| – | Volcanic activity | – | Not applicable | – | – | Evacuate early. In ashfall, stay in and wear an N95. |
Source // FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county 11001. Rules: SOS.city survival guides.
How to read these numbers
- Share of risk. For each hazard, FEMA estimates the loss each year to buildings, people and farms, then adjusts it for social vulnerability and community resilience. The county’s overall risk is the sum of all 18, so the share shows how much of it each hazard carries.
- Score. A percentile from 0 to 100. A score of 99.5 means the county’s risk for that hazard is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties.
- Rating. FEMA sorts counties into five groups, from Very Low to Very High.
- Big places rank high. Expected losses grow with the number of people and buildings exposed, so large urban counties rank high on many hazards. A high rating means plan for it, not that it will happen this year.
- County, not street. These ratings cover the whole county. For flood risk at your address, look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- District of Columbia is rated Relatively Moderate for social vulnerability and Very High for community resilience. Both feed into its overall rating.
Questions people ask
What natural disasters is Washington, D.C. most at risk for?
Washington, D.C.’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, earthquakes and heat waves. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 78% of the natural-hazard risk for the District of Columbia, home to all of Washington, D.C.’s 693,645 residents. FEMA rates the District’s overall risk Relatively High.
How does FEMA rate Washington, D.C.’s overall disaster risk?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall risk of the District of Columbia Relatively High, with a score of 97.58 out of 100. The score is a percentile: the District’s overall risk is higher than 97.5% of U.S. counties. Expected losses from natural hazards there average $292 million a year.
What should I do first to get ready in Washington, D.C.?
Write down your top three: inland flooding, earthquakes and heat waves. Turn on Emergency Alerts on every phone and sign up for your county’s alerts. Store water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, 2 weeks if you can.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these public datasets. We check them when we review the page.
- FEMA: National Risk Index data, county table (v1.20, December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index frequently asked questions (December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index for Natural Hazards
- U.S. Census Bureau: City and town population totals, 2020–2025 (Vintage 2025)
- Steps: What to do in a flood or flash flood (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do during an earthquake (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do in extreme heat and heat stroke (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
General safety information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials.
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