Locating cyclone shelters: a case

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to present the cyclone shelter location problem as a problem of grouping a set of villages into a minimum number of clusters and finding the location and capacity of the shelters. Design/methodology/approach Proposes an algorithm to solve the location problem that uses a distance matrix of the villages, applies Elzinga‐Hearn method iteratively to group them into circular clusters, and determines the shelter size. It is implemented in a software package, which reads the village records from a database, executes the steps of the algorithm, and writes the results into a file. Findings The villages are grouped into 13 clusters, eight requiring cyclone shelters to be built and five requiring no shelter, taking into consideration the available space in double‐storeyed buildings in the villages. The capacity and location of the each shelter are also obtained. Research limitations/implications The approach can be modified to address several practical constraints. For example, for the villages situated far from the coast, the limiting travel distance can be increased, considering that a lesser intensity cyclone would give more time to the villagers to reach the shelter. Practical implications Funds are available from a number of public and private organizations to construct cyclone shelters, which could be used properly only when optimal locations for the cyclone shelters are identified. Originality/value Originality of the work lies in adapting Elzinga‐Hearn method iteratively to group the villages into circular clusters and implementing the algorithm in software solution. The concerned authority, to take cyclone shelter location decisions, can use the software.