Powerful winds hitting speeds of approximately 155km/h (96mph) have caused around 90,000 homes lacking electricity and forced authorities to call off over 100 aircraft departures, according to domestic outlets.
The gales are impacting the whole southern region and southern parts of the North Island, per the country's meteorological service.
New Zealand authorities have released uncommon severe gust advisories - the highest alert level - in key areas such as Wellington and Canterbury.
People have been encouraged to avoid going outside, stay off roads, and make arrangements for additional power and communication outages.
Extensive Damage and Emergency Response
The power cut seems to be impacting homes mainly in the southern region, while authorities state that power was being restored progressively.
Local media have reported that in various locations structures have suffered roof damage, while trees and electricity poles have been brought down by the gales.
In Wellington, a man was lost his life after being impacted by a falling limb at a well-known hiking path on Tuesday.
Additionally in the city, a woman was pushed toward oncoming traffic on a road by a strong gust of wind, in a event that was captured in a widely shared car camera footage.
Aircraft services entering and leaving the city have been halted due to the gusts, and certain highways and community centers are not operating.
Meanwhile local leaders have issued a state of emergency, to facilitate emergency management operations.
Labor Protests During Harsh Conditions
These intense gusts on today come as many of teachers, doctors and other public workers are engaged in what has been termed a "significant labor action", demanding higher wages and enhanced employment terms.
However the intense climate has compelled them to change various scheduled activities, with some outdoor rallies shifted to interior venues or called off.
Comparable winds are affecting Australia, causing a high-temperature event to the remote areas.
Authorities have declared fire bans for fear of forest fires.
