Powerful winds reaching velocities of approximately 155km/h (96mph) have caused around 90,000 homes experiencing outages and forced agencies to halt over 100 flights, based on local media.
These gusts are affecting the complete South Island and southern sections of the North Island, as stated by the weather forecasting body.
New Zealand authorities have issued rare high-level wind alerts - the top caution category - in central regions including Canterbury and Wellington.
People have been advised to stay indoors, refrain from journeys, and get ready for more electricity and network failures.
Extensive Damage and Crisis Measures
This outage seems to be impacting households mainly in the southern region, though officials say that the electricity supply was being slowly brought back.
Local media have indicated that in certain areas homes have lost their roofs, and trees and electricity poles have been knocked down by the winds.
In Wellington, a man was fatally injured after being impacted by a falling limb at a well-known hiking path on earlier this week.
Also in the capital, a female was blown onto approaching vehicles on a road by a intensive burst, in a incident that was captured in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel to and from the metropolis have been cancelled due to the winds, and various routes and public facilities are shut down.
At the same time authorities in Canterbury have issued a crisis declaration, to assist recovery activities.
Strike Action 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", demanding improved salaries and workplace environments.
Yet the severe conditions has pressured them to modify some of their plans, with various open-air gatherings shifted to interior venues or cancelled.
Comparable winds are affecting the nearby nation, bringing a heatwave to the country's outback.
Agencies have issued burning restrictions for concern about wildfires.
