Intense gales attaining speeds of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have left approximately 90,000 households experiencing outages and forced officials to halt more than 100 flights, as reported by local media.
The winds are influencing the entire southern region and southern parts of the North Island, as stated by the country's meteorological service.
New Zealand authorities have announced rare high-level wind alerts - the most severe warning - in central regions such as Canterbury and Wellington.
People have been advised to stay indoors, stay off roads, and get ready for further electricity and network failures.
Extensive Destruction and Emergency Response
This outage appears to be affecting homes mainly in the southern region, though officials state that power was being restored progressively.
Regional news have reported that in some places homes have lost their roofs, and power lines and trees have been toppled by the gales.
Across Wellington, a person was killed after being hit by a falling limb at a frequent walking route on earlier this week.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a individual was blown onto oncoming traffic on a thoroughfare by a strong gust of wind, in a incident that was captured in a widely shared car camera footage.
Aircraft services to and from the city have been halted due to the winds, while various routes and public facilities are shut down.
Meanwhile Canterbury officials have declared a state of emergency, to facilitate disaster response efforts.
Labor Protests During Severe Conditions
The wild winds on Thursday come as tens of thousands of educators, medical professionals and government employees 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 called off.
Comparable winds are affecting Australia, ushering in a period of extreme heat to the nation's interior regions.
Authorities have announced burning restrictions for concern about forest fires.
