Severe gusts reaching velocities of up to 155km/h (96mph) have left approximately 90,000 households lacking electricity and forced agencies to cancel in excess of 100 air travel services, based on domestic outlets.
The gales are influencing the whole southern region and southern parts of the northern region, according to the country's meteorological service.
The nation's agencies have announced uncommon red wind warnings - the highest alert level - in central regions including Canterbury and Wellington.
Residents have been advised to stay indoors, avoid travel, and prepare for more power and communication outages.
Broad Destruction and Crisis Response
This outage is primarily influencing residences mainly in the South Island, though agencies say that the electricity supply was being gradually reinstated.
Regional news have indicated that in various locations homes have lost their roofs, while trees and electricity poles have been toppled by the gales.
In Wellington, a individual was fatally injured after being impacted by a falling limb at a well-known hiking path on Tuesday.
Also in the capital, a individual was swept into moving cars on a thoroughfare by a intensive burst, in a event that was recorded in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel to and from the metropolis have been cancelled as a result of the gusts, whereas some roads and libraries are also closed.
Meanwhile Canterbury officials have issued a state of emergency, to support disaster response efforts.
Strike Action Amid Extreme Conditions
These intense gusts on today come as tens of thousands of educators, medical professionals and government employees take part in what has been described as a "major walkout", requesting better pay and working conditions.
Yet the severe conditions has forced them to modify some of their plans, with several external protests shifted to interior venues or abandoned.
Comparable winds are affecting Australia, bringing a high-temperature event to the country's outback.
Authorities have declared flame prohibitions for concern about wildfires.
