Powerful winds reaching speeds of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have caused nearly 90,000 households without power and led agencies to halt more than 100 aircraft departures, as reported by domestic outlets.
The gales are influencing the entire South Island and lower areas of the North Island, according to the national weather agency.
Officials in New Zealand have released rare severe gust advisories - the most severe warning - in central regions encompassing these major districts.
Residents have been urged to avoid going outside, stay off roads, and make arrangements for further power and communication outages.
Widespread Impact and Emergency Response
This outage seems to be impacting homes mainly in the southern region, while agencies report that power was being slowly brought back.
Regional news have indicated that in various locations structures have suffered roof damage, while trees and electricity poles have been knocked down by the winds.
In Wellington, a individual was fatally injured after being struck by a tree branch at a well-known hiking path on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a individual was blown onto approaching vehicles on a street by a strong gust of wind, in a incident that was filmed in a widely shared car camera footage.
Flights in and out of the city have been halted because of the gusts, whereas certain highways and community centers are not operating.
At the same time local leaders have declared a state of emergency, to facilitate recovery activities.
Labor Protests Alongside Extreme Weather
The wild winds on Thursday come as numerous of school staff, physicians and civil servants are participating in what has been termed a "major walkout", calling for higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
But the intense climate has forced them to alter various scheduled activities, with some outdoor rallies moved indoors or abandoned.
Like conditions are impacting the nearby nation, ushering in a high-temperature event to the country's outback.
Agencies have declared flame prohibitions for concern about forest fires.
