Intense winds reaching speeds of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have caused approximately 90,000 homes lacking electricity and forced officials to cancel over 100 aircraft departures, according to domestic outlets.
The gales are impacting the entire South Island and southern parts of the North Island, per the weather forecasting body.
New Zealand authorities have released rare red wind warnings - the most severe warning - in central regions such as Wellington and Canterbury.
Locals have been urged to avoid going outside, avoid travel, and prepare for further power and communication outages.
Broad Damage and Crisis Response
This outage is primarily influencing homes mostly in the South Island, while agencies report that power was being slowly brought back.
Domestic outlets have reported that in certain areas structures have suffered roof damage, whereas utility poles and vegetation have been brought down by the winds.
Within the capital, a man was fatally injured after being hit by a wooden fragment at a well-known hiking path on earlier this week.
Also in the capital, a woman was pushed toward moving cars on a thoroughfare by a powerful blast, in a event that was captured in a widely shared car camera footage.
Air travel to and from the city have been halted because of the weather, and certain highways and community centers are not operating.
Meanwhile local leaders have announced a emergency situation, to assist disaster response efforts.
Labor Protests Alongside Severe Weather
These intense gusts on today come as many of school staff, physicians and civil servants are participating in what has been described as a "major walkout", requesting improved salaries and workplace environments.
However the severe conditions has pressured them to change some of their plans, with several external protests shifted to interior venues or called off.
Similar gusts are affecting the nearby nation, ushering in a high-temperature event to the country's outback.
Authorities have announced burning restrictions for concern about bushfires.
