Powerful gales attaining velocities of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have left around 90,000 households without power and forced agencies to call off over 100 aircraft departures, according to regional news sources.
The winds are impacting the complete South Island and lower areas of the North Island, as stated by the country's meteorological service.
The nation's agencies have announced infrequent severe gust advisories - the highest alert level - in central regions encompassing Wellington and Canterbury.
Locals have been urged to stay indoors, refrain from journeys, and get ready for additional power and communication outages.
Widespread Impact and Crisis Measures
This outage is primarily influencing households predominantly in the southern region, though authorities say that the electricity supply was being restored progressively.
Local media have stated that in some places homes have lost their roofs, and trees and electricity poles have been knocked down by the winds.
Across Wellington, a person was lost his life after being hit by a wooden fragment at a frequent walking route on earlier this week.
Additionally in the city, a female was blown onto approaching vehicles on a street by a strong gust of wind, in a moment that was recorded in a viral dashcam video.
Flights in and out of the urban area have been halted because of the gusts, while various routes and public facilities are also closed.
Meanwhile Canterbury officials have declared a emergency situation, to support disaster response efforts.
Labor Protests During Harsh Conditions
The wild winds on this day come as tens of thousands of school staff, physicians and civil servants are engaged in what has been described as a "mega strike", demanding better pay and working conditions.
Yet the severe conditions has forced them to alter certain arrangements, with several external protests shifted to interior venues or cancelled.
Comparable winds are impacting the neighboring country, bringing a heatwave to the country's outback.
Officials have issued fire bans for fear of forest fires.
