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Natural Disasters in Rhode Island: History & Risk Data

2,701 recorded disaster events across 70 ZIP codes.

State Statistics

2,701
Total Events
$1.5B
Total Damage
15
Total Deaths
70
ZIP Codes

Event Timeline

0731462192921955: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19551956: 12 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1957: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1964: 12 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1965: 9 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19651968: 1 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1969: 17 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1973: 2 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1976: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19761979: 13 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1985: 6 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1986: 42 events, 0 deaths, $54.5M damage1987: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19871989: 8 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1990: 14 events, 0 deaths, $2.8M damage1996: 27 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1997: 152 events, 0 deaths, $7.3M damage19971998: 12 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1999: 21 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage2000: 29 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage2001: 13 events, 0 deaths, $0.5M damage20012003: 51 events, 0 deaths, $2.0M damage2004: 35 events, 0 deaths, $1.5M damage2005: 218 events, 0 deaths, $13.5M damage2006: 169 events, 0 deaths, $0.9M damage20062007: 164 events, 0 deaths, $2.4M damage2008: 292 events, 0 deaths, $3.4M damage2009: 13 events, 0 deaths, $0.3M damage2010: 142 events, 15 deaths, $1240.0M damage20102011: 64 events, 0 deaths, $0.6M damage2012: 226 events, 0 deaths, $101.5M damage2013: 70 events, 0 deaths, $18.2M damage2014: 79 events, 0 deaths, $1.3M damage20142015: 44 events, 0 deaths, $0.6M damage2016: 80 events, 0 deaths, $0.7M damage2017: 28 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage2018: 126 events, 0 deaths, $17.2M damage20182019: 27 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage2020: 44 events, 0 deaths, $0.2M damage2021: 86 events, 0 deaths, $2.4M damage2022: 176 events, 0 deaths, $20.5M damage20222023: 33 events, 0 deaths, $2.6M damage2024: 118 events, 0 deaths, $0.8M damage2025: 10 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage
Events (no fatalities) Events with fatalities

Hazard Breakdown

🌊flood
1.3K events·15 deaths·$1.4B
Low:402
Moderate:399
High:332
Severe:174
⛈️hail
703 events·0 deaths·$350K
Low:681
Moderate:22
❄️blizzard
309 events·0 deaths·$10.5M
Low:85
Moderate:94
High:65
Severe:65
💨wind
222 events·0 deaths·$5.8M
Low:204
Moderate:15
High:3
🌪️tornado
150 events·0 deaths·$78.8M
Low:121
Moderate:29
🌍earthquake
10 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:10

Most Affected ZIP Codes in Rhode Island

02921 73 events 02886 67 events 02889 64 events 02888 64 events 02816 63 events 02905 63 events 02893 63 events 02806 61 events 02831 60 events 02915 60 events

📊 Rhode Island Disaster Profile

Federal source records show 2,701 natural disaster events for Rhode Island, spanning 70 ZIP codes. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $1.5B. A total of 15 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.

⚠️ Hazard Distribution

Floods lead Rhode Island's disaster profile with 1,307 events (48%), causing $1.4B in property damage. Other significant hazards include hailstorms (703 events, $350K in damages), blizzards (309 events, $10.5M in damages), and severe wind events (222 events, $5.8M in damages). Rhode Island has no recorded hurricanes and wildfires in the dataset.

📍 Geographic Impact

The most disaster-affected areas in Rhode Island include ZIP 02921 (73 events, $60.1M in damages), ZIP 02886 (67 events, $57.4M in damages), and ZIP 02889 (64 events, $63.4M in damages).

📈 Trends Over Time

Disaster frequency in Rhode Island has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 391% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2008 stands out as particularly active, with 292 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Rhode Island

What natural disasters occur in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island has experienced 2,701 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include floods (1,307), hailstorms (703), blizzards (309), severe wind events (222), tornadoes (150), and earthquakes (10). The most common hazard is floods, accounting for 48% of all events.

What are the most disaster-prone areas in Rhode Island?

Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in Rhode Island are ZIP 02921 (73 events), ZIP 02886 (67 events), ZIP 02889 (64 events), ZIP 02888 (64 events), and ZIP 02816 (63 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.

How much damage have natural disasters caused in Rhode Island?

Natural disasters have caused a documented $1.5B in property damage across Rhode Island. This total is based on records from NOAA and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward plus older wildfire source records where available. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.

About This Data

State-level data aggregated from NOAA Storm Events Database and USGS earthquake/wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source; some wildfire records contain older or approximate historical years. Full methodology →

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