Intense Gales Leave Numerous Homes Without Power in New Zealand
Intense winds reaching speeds of up to 155km/h (96mph) have resulted in around 90,000 homes without power and led officials to call off over 100 flights, according to domestic outlets.
The gales are impacting the entire southern region and lower areas of the northern region, according to the weather forecasting body.
New Zealand authorities have issued rare high-level wind alerts - the highest alert level - in central regions encompassing Canterbury and Wellington.
People have been advised to stay indoors, avoid travel, and make arrangements for further power and communication outages.
Widespread Impact and Crisis Measures
The electricity loss appears to be affecting residences mostly in the southern region, though agencies state that power was being slowly brought back.
Regional news have reported that in certain areas structures have suffered roof damage, and utility poles and vegetation have been brought down by the gales.
In Wellington, a individual was fatally injured after being struck by a tree branch at a popular trail walking spot on earlier this week.
Meanwhile in Wellington, a woman was blown onto moving cars on a road by a strong gust of wind, in a incident that was filmed in a widely shared car camera footage.
Aircraft services to and from the city have been halted as a result of the winds, and various routes and public facilities are not operating.
At the same time local leaders have issued a state of emergency, to assist disaster response efforts.
Work Stoppages Alongside Extreme Conditions
The wild winds on today come as tens of thousands of school staff, physicians and civil servants are participating in what has been termed a "significant labor action", calling for improved salaries and workplace environments.
However the extreme weather has pressured them to modify some of their plans, with some outdoor rallies shifted to interior venues or cancelled.
Like conditions are impacting Australia, causing a high-temperature event to the nation's interior regions.
Officials have announced flame prohibitions for apprehension regarding wildfires.
