The Government is looking at the option of temporarily housing displaced people from Lyttelton on cruise ships.
Housing Minister Phil Heatley says that in other parts of Canterbury modular housing with self-contained sewerage units could be built, but a cruise ship could be used to house many of those in Lyttelton.
He says they are going through an inventory of public land to check that utilities are available, so the building of the modular units can begin.
In the first instance, he says, they want to use public land, but they will lease private land if needed.
Mr Heatley says it's difficult to get a hold on how much demand there is, because a lot of people have left Canterbury and are choosing at different times to come back for different reasons.
He does expect most of them to eventually return, however, and says temporary housing must be ready for them if needed.
At the moment, Mr Heatley says, offers of temporary accommodation have outstripped demand: more than 2000 baches and holiday homes in the Canterbury region have been offered, while about 400 are wanted.
Welfare centre demand dwindling
The Red Cross says the demand for accommodation in Christchurch's welfare centres is dwindling, as people find their own places to stay after the earthquake.
The organisation's David Nel says 160 people slept in the three centres on Sunday night.
He says the aim is to get more people out of the centres and into their own accommodation.
Phone line for concerned relatives
A phone line has been set up to help the relatives of elderly people who were moved as a result of the earthquake.
Eight aged-care providers suffered significant structural damage in the quake and as a result, more than 200 vulnerable people have been transferred to facilities outside Christchurch.
Officials say because of the volume and speed of transfers, they have not been able to follow their usual processes of working closely with families.
Social workers are now trying to contact families, but anyone who is concerned about a relocated relative and unable to contact them should ring 03 337 8937.
