Severe gales hitting speeds of up to 155km/h (96mph) have caused around 90,000 homes experiencing outages and compelled authorities to call off in excess of 100 air travel services, according to regional news sources.
The gales are impacting the whole South Island and southern parts of the North Island, per the country's meteorological service.
New Zealand authorities have released uncommon high-level wind alerts - the highest alert level - in core zones encompassing Canterbury and Wellington.
People have been advised to stay indoors, refrain from journeys, and make arrangements for additional electricity and network failures.
Widespread Impact and Crisis Measures
This outage is primarily influencing households mostly in the southern region, while authorities say that the electricity supply was being restored progressively.
Local media have reported that in various locations roofs have been ripped off houses, while trees and electricity poles have been toppled by the winds.
Across Wellington, a individual was killed after being struck by a tree branch at a popular trail walking spot on Tuesday.
Also in the capital, a individual was blown onto moving cars on a thoroughfare by a intensive burst, in a incident that was captured in a widely shared car camera footage.
Aircraft services to and from the city have been halted because of the gusts, whereas certain highways and community centers are also closed.
Simultaneously local leaders have declared a state of emergency, to support emergency management operations.
Labor Protests Alongside Extreme Weather
The wild winds on today occur while tens of thousands of teachers, doctors and other public workers take part in what has been termed a "significant labor action", demanding improved salaries and workplace environments.
However the extreme weather has forced them to change some of their plans, with some outdoor rallies moved indoors or cancelled.
Comparable winds are also sweeping Australia, causing a high-temperature event to the nation's interior regions.
Authorities have declared flame prohibitions for apprehension regarding forest fires.
