Severe gales reaching speeds of approximately 155km/h (96mph) have caused nearly 90,000 homes experiencing outages and forced authorities to halt over 100 flights, as reported by local media.
The winds are influencing the whole South Island and southern parts of the northern region, according to the weather forecasting body.
The nation's agencies have released uncommon high-level wind alerts - the top caution category - in core zones including Canterbury and Wellington.
People have been urged to remain inside, stay off roads, and make arrangements for more power and communication outages.
Broad Destruction and Emergency Measures
This outage seems to be impacting households mostly in the South Island, although agencies report that power was being slowly brought back.
Domestic outlets have stated that in various locations roofs have been ripped off houses, whereas trees and electricity poles have been toppled by the winds.
Within the capital, a individual was killed after being hit by a wooden fragment at a well-known hiking path on earlier this week.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a woman was swept into oncoming traffic on a street by a intensive burst, in a event that was filmed in a viral dashcam video.
Air travel entering and leaving the urban area have been suspended because of the winds, while some roads and libraries are not operating.
Meanwhile authorities in Canterbury have issued a crisis declaration, to assist recovery activities.
Strike Action Amid Extreme Conditions
The wild winds on Thursday come as tens of thousands of school staff, physicians and civil servants are engaged in what has been termed a "significant labor action", requesting higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
However the intense climate has forced them to alter certain arrangements, with several external protests relocated inside or called off.
Similar gusts are also sweeping the neighboring country, causing a high-temperature event to the nation's interior regions.
Authorities have announced fire bans for apprehension regarding bushfires.
