Severe gales hitting velocities of up to 155km/h (96mph) have caused nearly 90,000 households experiencing outages and forced officials to cancel in excess of 100 flights, as reported by domestic outlets.
The gales are influencing the entire southern region and southern sections of the North Island, according to the national weather agency.
Officials in New Zealand have released uncommon severe gust advisories - the highest alert level - in key areas encompassing Canterbury and Wellington.
Residents have been urged to remain inside, stay off roads, and get ready for further power and communication outages.
Widespread Destruction and Crisis Response
This outage is primarily influencing households predominantly in the South Island, while authorities say that energy was being restored progressively.
Domestic outlets have indicated that in various locations structures have suffered roof damage, while power lines and trees have been brought down by the gusts.
Across Wellington, a man was killed after being struck by a falling limb at a well-known hiking path on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a woman was pushed toward oncoming traffic on a thoroughfare by a intensive burst, in a incident that was captured in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel entering and leaving the city have been halted because of the weather, while some roads and libraries are also closed.
At the same time authorities in Canterbury have announced a crisis declaration, to support recovery activities.
Work Stoppages Amid Severe Conditions
The powerful gales on today come as many of school staff, physicians and civil servants take part in what has been termed a "significant labor action", demanding higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
However the severe conditions has pressured them to alter various scheduled activities, with some outdoor rallies shifted to interior venues or cancelled.
Comparable winds are affecting Australia, ushering in a high-temperature event to the remote areas.
Authorities have issued fire bans for concern about wildfires.
