noun
evacuation shelter; place of refuge
A designated safe location where people go during disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or typhoons. Often a school gymnasium or community center.
地震の後、近くの小学校が避難所になった。
After the earthquake, the nearby elementary school became an evacuation shelter.
避難所では食料や毛布が配られた。
Food and blankets were distributed at the shelter.
シェルター is a loanword often used for smaller-scale or temporary protective structures, while 避難所 is the standard term for large public evacuation centers.
Compound of 避難 (ひなん, 'evacuation, taking refuge') + 所 (しょ, 'place'). The reading じょ for 所 is a common rendaku form in compounds.