. In an emergency situation shelter space is crucial
for people affected by natural hazards. Emergency planners
in disaster relief and mass care can greatly benefit from a
sound methodology that identifies suitable shelter areas and
sites where shelter services need to be improved. A methodology
to rank suitability of open spaces for contingency planning
and placement of shelter in the immediate aftermath of a
disaster is introduced. The Open Space Suitability Index uses
the combination of two different measures: a qualitative evaluation
criterion for the suitability and manageability of open
spaces to be used as shelter sites and another quantitative criterion
using a capacitated accessibility analysis based on network
analysis. For the qualitative assessment implementation
issues, environmental considerations and basic utility supply
are the main categories to rank candidate shelter sites. A
geographic information system is used to reveal spatial patterns
of shelter demand. Advantages and limitations of this
method are discussed on the basis of an earthquake hazard
case study in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.