It is a challenging job how to choose building sites of makeshift shelters rapidly in a disaster area after a huge earthquake.Based on the fast accommodation of people in disaster areas after the M8.0 earth- quake in Wenchuan

Sichuan Province

we analyze the seismological problems in determining where to build makeshift shelters after a huge earthquake

and give the way to resolve important problems such as earthquake faults

ground fissures

liquefaction of saturated soil and geological collapse.Furthermore

the potential damages of these disasters to the building sites are evaluated with the help of strong aftershock forecasting.Finally

we make some suggestions to deal with the potential geological disasters such as landslide

collapse of unstable rocks and debris flow.These suggestions may serve as reference in the building of movable plank houses.