The Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman revealed that the panel is studying the aftermath of the earthquakes on the elderly care homes of the region. The two earthquakes held in September and February had forced the elderly people to leave the region, which led to deaths of many.

As per a data of the health board, 50 elderly people out of the 300, left the elderly care homes in Christchurch and were reported to have died. The spokespersons revealed that out of the 300, 73 people had thought to settle somewhere else permanently and 109 were demanding to be sent back to their homes, but on July 29, 65 old people returned to the old age homes at Christchurch.

During the first round of the study, the authorities took details from 105 people related to the 70 age-care homes in Canterbury who comprised of the managers, owners and staff. The managers of the care homes revealed that the number of deaths of the elderly people who had left homes was higher than the limit.

Due to the earthquake in February, people from seven care homes were vacated; moreover, 600 beds at the aged care homes were destroyed. The authorities were going to make a further study on the relation between the deaths and the evacuations.