Powerful gusts attaining speeds of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have left nearly 90,000 homes experiencing outages and forced officials to call off more than 100 aircraft departures, as reported by local media.
The winds are impacting the whole South Island and southern parts of the northern region, per the weather forecasting body.
Officials in New Zealand have released uncommon severe gust advisories - the highest alert level - in core zones such as Wellington and Canterbury.
People have been urged to remain inside, avoid travel, and make arrangements for more power and communication outages.
Extensive Impact and Emergency Response
The electricity loss is primarily influencing homes mainly in the southern region, although agencies report that power was being restored progressively.
Domestic outlets have reported that in some places roofs have been ripped off houses, whereas power lines and trees have been toppled by the gales.
In Wellington, a man was lost his life after being struck by a tree branch at a frequent walking route on Tuesday.
Also in the capital, a woman was swept into oncoming traffic on a street by a strong gust of wind, in a incident that was filmed in a viral dashcam video.
Aircraft services in and out of the city have been cancelled as a result of the gusts, while certain highways and community centers are shut down.
At the same time authorities in Canterbury have declared a state of emergency, to assist recovery activities.
Work Stoppages During Severe Weather
The wild winds on Thursday come as tens of thousands of teachers, doctors and other public workers are participating in what has been called a "significant labor action", demanding higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
However the severe conditions has forced them to change some of their plans, with some outdoor rallies moved indoors or abandoned.
Like conditions are impacting the neighboring country, ushering in a period of extreme heat to the remote areas.
Agencies have announced flame prohibitions for apprehension regarding bushfires.
