The storm's slow motion allowed for prolonged periods of heavy rainfall, resulting in phenomenal flooding across the Solomon Islands.

Across the Solomon Island group, schools, buildings, electricity, water supplies, roads, communication systems, forests, and agriculture sustained widespread damage.

[1][2] The first of these tropical depression went on to become Typhoon Lola in the Northern Hemisphere, while the second system was first noted by the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) during May 15, while it was located about 165 km (105 mi) to the north of Malaita in the Solomon Islands.

[5] During that day, the system moved south-westwards and acquired the characteristics of a tropical cyclone, before it was named Namu by the FMS, while it was located about 55 km (35 mi) to the north of Sikaiana.

[5][8] The system subsequently crossed Guadalcanal and 160°E where it moved into the Australian region during May 19, where a broad and ragged eye became visible in satellite imagery but quickly became obscured by high cloud.

[4] Namu subsequently came under the influence of high level westerly winds, which steered the system on a south-easterly track and back into the South Pacific basin.

[4] After it moved back into the South Pacific basin, Namu accelerated towards southern Vanuatu and rapidly weakened into a depression, as cold air from the subtropics wrapped into the system.

[11] However, many people were caught off guard by the cyclone's sudden increase in winds and the prolonged heavy rain, especially in remote areas where weather forecasts were difficult to disseminate because of communication problems.

[4][7] They also estimated that gale-force winds had impacted the area in between San Cristóbal, the Russell Islands, Santa Isabel and the northern tip of Malaita.

[7] During July 1991, Russell Blong and Deirdre Radford of Macquarie University published the results of an extensive survey into the natural disasters in the Solomon Islands, which "positively identified" 111 deaths in association with Cyclone Namu.

[11][15] During May 17, the newly named Tropical Cyclone Namu passed within 55 km (35 mi) of the isolated atoll: Sikaiana, which bore the brunt of the system as it approached the Solomon Islands.

[3][16] The storm surge also destroyed the majority of the traditional housing that had been made out of palm fronds and left the islanders without any food, water or shelter.

[3][16] Over the next few weeks, the islanders relied on coconut milk, until HMAS Brunei was able to deliver relief supplies and over 200 drums of fresh water on June 4.

[16] Within the island nation meandering rivers changed their course and cut a straight path, which brought mud, silt and debris to rich farming areas.

[4] The floods also exposed a site of an American and Japanese World War 2 ammunition dump on Guadalcanal from Henderson Field to Red Beach.

[16] On Rennell Island, 20 houses were destroyed while both the school and the airstrip were damaged by storm surge, high winds and heavy rain.

[19][35] The southern islands of the Solomon's chain were seriously affected by the passage of Namu, becoming the worst tropical cyclone to impact the area in five years.

[21] However, before any foreign assistance could arrive in the Solomon Islands, residents started to try to help themselves by patching up water pipes with bamboo, string and rubber strips.

[21] This included two C-130 Hercules cargo planes from the Royal Australian Air Force, a detachment party, relief supplies and two Iroquois helicopters.

[14][21][37] These aircraft arrived during May 21, when Henderson Field Airport reopened for emergency operations, after flood waters had receded and the mud and debris had been removed.

[14] Within a week following the storm, access to fresh water was resorted to the archipelago; doctors believed that had these services not been restored, widespread disease would have been reported.

[40] Australian relief planes had dropped food to 4,000 victims in the highlands on the main island of Guadalcanal and New Zealand provided nearly 30,000 lb (13,610 kg) of rice, canned meat and tea to the devastated region.

New Zealand engineers were brought in to assess damage to roads and bridges and start removal of 40 ft (10 m) high debris along the waterfronts of the island chain.

[14] As a result, a two-day meeting took place in Honiara during July, at which the Solomon Islands Government requested and was promised about 13.5 million for 20 rehabilitation programs.

[50] These programs included projects to replace rural primary schools flattened by the cyclone, bridges and water supply systems swept away by Namu.

[50] During December 1986, the then Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sir Peter Kenilorea resigned, after allegations surfaced that he had channelled aid from France for Cyclone Namu towards the rebuilding of his village.