U.S. Virgin Islands Environment & Hazard Risk
0 counties rated high or very high risk. 424 storm events since 1996, #55 among states.
- Expected yearly loss
- $145M
- $1,681 per person
- Storm events since 1996
- 424
- Most often heavy rain
- Superfund sites
- 2
- 5 toxic release facilities
Risk by county
FEMA National Risk Index rating, highest risk first
| County | Overall risk | Top hazard | Flood policies | Flood claims paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix Island | Not rated | Coastal flooding | - | $35.4M |
| St. John Island | Not rated | Coastal flooding | - | $798K |
| St. Thomas Island | Not rated | Coastal flooding | - | $37.3M |
Storm events by type
Since 1996: 11 deaths, $39.8M in property and crop damage
- Heavy Rain74
- Flash Flood64
- Flood48
- Waterspout34
- Tropical Storm30
- Drought26
- Wildfire19
- Thunderstorm Wind18
- Excessive Heat16
- Volcanic Ash14
- Funnel Cloud13
- Hurricane (Typhoon)13
Events per year
Most damaging storms
Since 2017, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- Rip Current02/28/2021
St. Croix
1 death
What happened
A tourist staying at the Carambola Beach Resort near Cane Bay on St. Croix drowned Sunday morning while diving in choppy waters near the resort���s beach.
- Rip Current09/07/2021
St. Croix
1 death
What happened
A woman was swept off the rocks by waves and carried out to sea in Annaly Bay, St Croix.
- Flash Flood09/15/2017
St Croix, St. Croix County
$500K damage
What happened
Saint Croix police department reported serious flooding occurring from Mid Island all the way to the west with up to three feet of water on roadways near the Home Depot store.
Flood insurance
National Flood Insurance Program policies and claims
0 homes in U.S. Virgin Islands have flood insurance.
- Hurricane Maria$10.4M · 164 claims
- Hurricane Marilyn$10M · 588 claims
- Hurricane Irma$6.7M · 96 claims
- Hurricane Hugo$2.8M · 257 claims
- Flooding$1.2M · 117 claims
Drinking water
77 community water systems serve about 82,463 people
Since 2021, 63 systems reported 77 health-based violations. 44 systems had a violation of any kind still open at last report. These had the most:
- Lorraine VillageServes 1,008 · Groundwater · Private8 health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Mill Harbour CondosServes 345 · Groundwater · Private3 health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Flamboyant Gardens JServes 25 · Groundwater · Private3 health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Harbour View ApartmentsServes 863 · Purchased groundwater · Private2 health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Louise E Brown IIIServes 181 · Groundwater · Local government2 health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Flamboyant Gardens IServes 25 · Groundwater · Private2 health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Water And Power Authority - STXServes 35,000 · Surface water · State1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
- Water And Power Authority - STTServes 34,000 · Surface water · State1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
Select a county above to see every system that serves it.
Pollution sites
2 Superfund sites and 5 toxic release facilities
Superfund sites
- Tutu WellfieldFinal NPL Site, Tutu
- Island Chemical Corp/Virgin Islands Chemical Corp.Deleted NPL Site, Christiansted
Largest toxic releases
- Saint Thomas Bulk Terminal5,707 lbs, Saint Thomas
- Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority568 lbs, Saint Thomas
- Cruzan Rum Ltd.250 lbs, Frederiksted
- Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority44.5 lbs, Christiansted
- Port Hamilton Refining & Transportation Lllpunder 1 lb, Christiansted
Facilities in U.S. Virgin Islands reported 6,570 lbs of toxic releases in 2024, 727 lbs of it into the air.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the biggest natural hazard in U.S. Virgin Islands?
- By expected annual loss, hurricane costs the most in U.S. Virgin Islands ($87.9M a year), according to FEMA's National Risk Index.
- How many storms hit U.S. Virgin Islands each year?
- NOAA recorded 424 storm events in U.S. Virgin Islands since 1996, about 14 a year. The most common type is heavy rain.
- How many hurricanes have hit U.S. Virgin Islands?
- U.S. Virgin Islands has had 5 hurricane landfalls since 1851, including 3 major hurricanes of Category 3 or stronger.
- How many Superfund sites are in U.S. Virgin Islands?
- U.S. Virgin Islands has 2 Superfund sites on or deleted from EPA's National Priorities List.
Source: FEMA, NOAA, EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch each county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.