The Solomon Islands' government says at least 16 people have died in flash flooding that has left thousands homeless in the capital Honiara. An unconfirmed number of people are still missing.
Officials said search and rescue efforts are ongoing, but are hampered by heavy rain and huge waves that are battering the Pacific nation's coastline on Friday night.
The director of the National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, said many people failed to heed warnings to stay away from riverbanks, and the flooding is more widespread than initially expected with areas outside Honiara also affected.
The Mataniko River running through Honiara has burst its banks, inundating the downtown area.
Evacuation centres have been set up in schools in the capital and aid workers say the death toll is expected to rise.
Graham Kenna, the logistics manager for Save the Children in Solomon Islands, said he expects the death toll to increase dramatically. He said the infrastructure in Honiara has been severely damaged, with one of its two main bridges washed away.
"We have seen full size family houses go into the river. I actually lost a full container of non-food items that was in a place that was perfectly safe. It never had water near it previously, and that container has now floated down the river and out to sea. It's just been massive, massive flooding."
Mr Kenna said the rain doesn't look like easing up and the MetService has indicated that the low could intensify and become a cyclone.
A United Nations agency said it is on standby and ready to respond with emergency supplies and personnel.
UNICEF NZ programmes manager Hamish Lindsay said it is liaising closely with the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office and other groups. However, Mr Lindsay said until the heavy weather subsides, it will be difficult to assess the full extent of the damage and a key concern is access to clean, safe drinking water, food, shelter and sanitation.
Honiara correspondent Dorothy Wickham told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme on Friday that children and elderly people have been worst affected.
"A lot of these people missing are children and old people who were caught in the house and were unable to move fast. Some of the kids may have been playing by the banks. We have housing settlements along the banks here which is very close to the water."
She said one family she knows hasn't found all their children yet and are not sure if they are missing or taking refuge somewhere else.
Ms Wickham said a main bridge has been lost, the main water supply has been closed down and electricity is being shut off in some areas.
New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said on Friday the Government will contribute $300,000 to support the Pacific nation.
Some $250,000 will go to agencies working on the ground in Solomon Islands for emergency relief supplies and shelter. A further $50,000 will go to New Zealand's High Commission to help in areas identified by the Solomon Islands government.
Listen to Dorothy Wickham