Severe winds reaching velocities of as high as 155km/h (96mph) have left around 90,000 households lacking electricity and forced officials to halt in excess of 100 air travel services, based on regional news sources.
The gales are affecting the entire southern region and southern parts of the northern region, according to the weather forecasting body.
The nation's agencies have announced uncommon high-level wind alerts - the top caution category - in central regions encompassing Wellington and Canterbury.
Locals have been encouraged to stay indoors, refrain from journeys, and get ready for more power and communication outages.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Measures
This outage appears to be affecting households mainly in the southern region, although officials say that the electricity supply was being gradually reinstated.
Regional news have indicated that in some places roofs have been ripped off houses, while utility poles and vegetation have been toppled by the winds.
In Wellington, a person was lost his life after being impacted by a falling limb at a well-known hiking path on earlier this week.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a female was swept into approaching vehicles on a street by a powerful blast, in a event that was captured in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel in and out of the city have been suspended because of the winds, and some roads and libraries are shut down.
Meanwhile local leaders have declared a state of emergency, to assist recovery activities.
Strike Action During Severe Conditions
The wild winds on Thursday come as tens of thousands of teachers, doctors and other public workers are engaged in what has been described as a "significant labor action", requesting improved salaries and workplace environments.
However the extreme weather has pressured them to alter some of their plans, with several external protests moved indoors or abandoned.
Similar gusts are also sweeping the neighboring country, bringing a high-temperature event to the remote areas.
Officials have announced flame prohibitions for concern about forest fires.
