FEMADR-1500-WVMajor disasterDeclared November 21, 2003
DR-1500-WV: West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides
FEMA made a major disaster declaration for West Virginia (DR-1500-WV) on November 21, 2003 for the incident of November 11, 2003 to November 30, 2003; it covers 34 designated areas. FEMA had approved $21.7 million for 5,885 households through the Individuals and Households Program (as of October 1, 2026) and obligated $15.8 million in Public Assistance (as of May 17, 2026).
The declaration
- Declaration
- DR-1500-WV (also written FEMA-1500-DR)
- Type
- Major disaster declaration
- State
- West Virginia
- Incident
- Severe Storm: Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides
- Incident period
- November 11, 2003 to November 30, 2003
- Declared
- November 21, 2003
- Programs declared
- Individuals and Households, Individual Assistance (the older program, flagged until 2008), Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation
- FEMA region
- 3
- Place in the year
- the fourth of 4 major disaster declarations for West Virginia in 2003
- Status
- closed out on February 24, 2011
- Registration deadline (individual help)
- January 20, 2003
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
Which areas are covered, and for what?
| Designated area | Individuals and Households | Individual Assistance (older program) | Public Assistance | Hazard Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Boone (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Braxton (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cabell (County) | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Calhoun (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clay (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Doddridge (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Fayette (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gilmer (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Greenbrier (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Harrison (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kanawha (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lewis (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lincoln (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Logan (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marion (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marshall (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| McDowell (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mercer (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monongalia (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monroe (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nicholas (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pendleton (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Pocahontas (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Putnam (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Raleigh (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ritchie (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Summers (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Taylor (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Upshur (County) | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| Wayne (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Webster (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wetzel (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wyoming (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
An area can be added to a declaration after the first day, or have a program added: this table is FEMA's current list.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
How much has FEMA approved?
5,885households approved for help (IHP)
$21.7 millionIndividuals and Households Program approved
$15.2 millionof it for housing
$6.5 millionof it for other needs
$15.8 millionPublic Assistance obligated
$2.5 millionHazard Mitigation Grant Program obligated
Individual assistance figures as of October 1, 2026, public assistance as of May 17, 2026. FEMA updates both as applications are decided.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2); FEMA, OpenFEMA FEMA Web Disaster Summaries (v1). Data as of September 29, 2026.
FEMA's page for this declaration
FEMA's own page for this declaration is fema.gov/disaster/1500. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application. Registration for individual help closed on January 20, 2003.