Power Outages and Flight Chaos as Violent Winds Lash New Zealand
Tens of thousands of households across New Zealand have been left without electricity after destructive winds of up to 155km/h (96mph) battered large parts of the country, triggering widespread travel disruption and rare red weather alerts.
The extreme winds swept across the entire South Island and the lower North Island, according to MetService, prompting officials to issue the country’s highest-level wind warnings for regions including Canterbury and Wellington. Forecasters also cautioned of heavy rainfall in parts of the South Island.
Authorities have urged residents to remain indoors, avoid travelling, and be prepared for further outages, with power and communication lines already severely affected. Roughly 90,000 homes lost electricity at the height of the storm, though crews say restoration efforts are ongoing.
Local reports described significant damage, including roofs torn from homes, toppled trees, and downed power poles. In Wellington, a man tragically died after being struck by a falling tree branch on a popular walking trail. In a separate incident in the capital, a woman was blown into traffic by a powerful gust — an alarming moment caught on dashcam video. She survived the encounter.
Air travel has been thrown into chaos, with more than 100 flights cancelled, while roads, public buildings, and libraries in affected areas have also been forced to close. Canterbury authorities have declared a state of emergency to mobilize emergency support.
The storm coincided with a nationwide “mega strike” involving teachers, health workers, and other public sector staff demanding better pay and conditions. Many outdoor demonstrations were cancelled or moved indoors due to unsafe weather.
Meanwhile, similarly powerful winds have begun sweeping into Australia’s outback, where soaring temperatures have brought fire danger alerts and total fire bans amid fears of bushfire outbreaks.