Severe gales hitting speeds of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have left approximately 90,000 households experiencing outages and compelled officials to halt over 100 aircraft departures, based on regional news sources.
These gusts are affecting the complete southern region and lower areas of the North Island, according to the weather forecasting body.
The nation's agencies have issued uncommon severe gust advisories - the most severe warning - in key areas such as Wellington and Canterbury.
People have been encouraged to avoid going outside, stay off roads, and make arrangements for further power and communication outages.
Broad Damage and Emergency Response
The electricity loss is primarily influencing residences mostly in the southern region, although authorities say that energy was being gradually reinstated.
Regional news have stated that in various locations homes have lost their roofs, whereas trees and electricity poles have been toppled by the gusts.
Within the capital, a individual was fatally injured after being impacted by a falling limb at a popular trail walking spot on earlier this week.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a individual was swept into approaching vehicles on a street by a strong gust of wind, in a incident that was filmed in a widely shared car camera footage.
Aircraft services to and from the urban area have been cancelled as a result of the weather, while certain highways and community centers are not operating.
Simultaneously Canterbury officials have declared a emergency situation, to support recovery activities.
Work Stoppages Alongside Severe Conditions
The wild winds on today coincide with tens of thousands of school staff, physicians and civil servants take part in what has been described as a "mega strike", requesting better pay and working conditions.
However the extreme weather has pressured them to alter certain arrangements, with some outdoor rallies shifted to interior venues or abandoned.
Comparable winds are affecting the nearby nation, causing a period of extreme heat to the nation's interior regions.
Agencies have declared fire bans for fear of forest fires.
