Powerful gusts hitting speeds of up to 155km/h (96mph) have resulted in nearly 90,000 properties without power and forced authorities to cancel over 100 aircraft departures, according to domestic outlets.
These gusts are affecting the complete southern region and southern parts of the northern region, according to the national weather agency.
Officials in New Zealand have released uncommon red wind warnings - the most severe warning - in central regions such as Wellington and Canterbury.
Locals have been urged to remain inside, stay off roads, and get ready for additional power and communication outages.
Widespread Destruction and Crisis Response
This outage appears to be affecting households predominantly in the South Island, although agencies report that the electricity supply was being slowly brought back.
Regional news have reported that in some places roofs have been ripped off houses, and utility poles and vegetation have been brought down by the winds.
Within the capital, a individual was lost his life after being impacted by a wooden fragment at a popular trail walking spot on Tuesday.
Also in the capital, a female was swept into moving cars on a road by a intensive burst, in a incident that was captured in a widely shared car camera footage.
Air travel entering and leaving the metropolis have been cancelled as a result of the weather, and various routes and public facilities are shut down.
Simultaneously authorities in Canterbury have issued a crisis declaration, to assist recovery activities.
Strike Action Alongside Extreme Weather
The wild winds on Thursday come as tens of thousands of teachers, doctors and other public workers are engaged in what has been termed a "major walkout", requesting higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
But the intense climate has compelled them to change certain arrangements, with several external protests relocated inside or cancelled.
Comparable winds are impacting the neighboring country, bringing a high-temperature event to the country's outback.
Authorities have issued fire bans for apprehension regarding forest fires.
