Severe gales hitting speeds of up to 155km/h (96mph) have resulted in nearly 90,000 homes experiencing outages and compelled officials to call off more than 100 aircraft departures, based on regional news sources.
These gusts are impacting the complete South Island and southern sections of the northern region, according to the country's meteorological service.
New Zealand authorities have issued infrequent high-level wind alerts - the top caution category - in key areas encompassing Canterbury and Wellington.
Residents have been encouraged to stay indoors, stay off roads, and prepare for further electricity and network failures.
Widespread Impact and Emergency Measures
This outage is primarily influencing households predominantly in the southern region, while authorities report that power was being restored progressively.
Local media have stated that in various locations roofs have been ripped off houses, while power lines and trees have been knocked down by the gusts.
In Wellington, a man was lost his life after being struck by a tree branch at a popular trail walking spot on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a female was blown onto approaching vehicles on a thoroughfare by a powerful blast, in a incident that was filmed in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel to and from the city have been suspended due to the gusts, whereas certain highways and community centers are not operating.
Simultaneously Canterbury officials have issued a emergency situation, to facilitate recovery activities.
Labor Protests During Severe Weather
The wild winds on Thursday come as many of educators, medical professionals and government employees are participating in what has been described as a "mega strike", demanding higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
But the severe conditions has forced them to change certain arrangements, with various open-air gatherings shifted to interior venues or cancelled.
Similar gusts are also sweeping the neighboring country, ushering in a period of extreme heat to the remote areas.
Agencies have issued fire bans for fear of bushfires.
