In a split-second display of nature’s raw power, dashcam footage captured a female pedestrian being violently shoved into a busy intersection by ferocious winds, narrowly escaping disaster amid one of the most destructive storms to batter the country in recent memory. The incident, which unfolded on Thursday, October 23, 2025, has gone viral, serving as a stark reminder of how quickly extreme weather can turn everyday commutes into life-or-death scenarios.

The video, shared widely on social media and reported by outlets including the New York Post and Daily Mail, shows the woman standing at a traffic light crossing in central Wellington, New Zealand’s capital and notoriously windy city. Clad in everyday attire, she appears unassuming, waiting for the signal to change. Then, without warning, a powerful gust – estimated by meteorologists to reach up to 140 kilometers per hour (87 mph) – slams into her from behind. The force propels her forward like a ragdoll, causing her to stumble, trip over the curb, and tumble headfirst into the roadway. Her bag and personal belongings scatter across the asphalt, caught in the same whirlwind.

Oncoming vehicles, including a grey Toyota Prius captured in the footage, screech to a halt just inches away, their drivers’ quick reflexes preventing what could have been a fatal collision. The woman rolls partially into the lane before scrambling to her feet, shaken but uninjured, as the wind howls on. Miraculously, no serious injuries were reported in the close call, according to local authorities. “Those gusts we just had were wild,” one eyewitness commented on social media, encapsulating the sheer unpredictability of the moment.

This harrowing episode occurred against the backdrop of a rare and intense spring storm that unleashed chaos across New Zealand, prompting the nation’s weather service, MetService, to issue unprecedented red wind warnings – a level reserved for the most extreme conditions. The alerts, which covered Wellington, the Wairarapa region south of Carterton, and parts of the South Island, warned of “damaging gusts up to 140 kph” capable of uprooting trees, toppling power lines, and hurling debris like missiles. Heavy rain compounded the misery, with forecasts predicting significant flooding in the Tararua Range.

The storm’s fury extended far beyond the Wellington intersection. In the capital, over 200 flights were grounded at Wellington International Airport, stranding thousands of travelers and disrupting national supply chains. Government buildings, including libraries and parks, shuttered their doors as officials urged residents to “shelter in place where possible.” Power outages plunged neighborhoods into darkness, affecting thousands of households and businesses. Media footage from the scene revealed a city under siege: overturned trucks, scattered debris blocking streets, and emergency crews battling to clear fallen branches.

Tragically, the weather’s toll wasn’t limited to near-misses. In Wellington itself, a man was struck and killed by a falling tree branch as he walked along a windswept street, marking the storm’s first confirmed fatality. The incident, reported by the Associated Press, underscored the lethal potential of the gales. Further south in the Canterbury region, authorities declared a state of local emergency late Wednesday, October 22, mobilizing resources to combat widespread damage. There, gusts peaked at 150 kph (93 mph), igniting spot wildfires near Hanmer Springs and in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island. Roads were closed due to downed power lines and toppled silos, while Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) responded to over a thousand calls for assistance in a single day.

“We’ve got crews out responding to several incidents and ask people to watch for falling trees, powerlines, debris flying around and to stay off the roads,” FENZ stated in an official release, emphasizing the dangers of venturing out during peak conditions. The National Emergency Management Agency echoed the sentiment, activating emergency protocols to coordinate relief efforts. In Christchurch, another major hub, train services ground to a halt, and surface flooding turned low-lying areas into impromptu lakes. Images circulating online showed fences ripped from their foundations, vehicles battered by flying objects, and rural landscapes scarred by uprooted orchards.

Meteorologists attribute the storm’s intensity to a deep low-pressure system barreling across the Tasman Sea, funneling warm, moist air into a volatile mix with New Zealand’s rugged topography. “Severe north-westerlies were expected to produce damaging gusts up to 150 kph near Christchurch and in coastal parts of the lower South Island,” MetService explained in their advisory. This isn’t the first time Wellington – dubbed “Windy Welly” for its funneling effect off Cook Strait – has borne the brunt of such tempests. The city averages 173 windy days per year, but this event’s scale harkens back to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake aftermath, when similar gales exacerbated recovery efforts.

Across the ditch in Australia, the storm’s ripple effects were equally grim. In Victoria, two men perished after being swept into the sea by 85 mph (137 kph) winds in Frankston, while over 12,000 households endured blackouts. Queensland saw echoes of the peril, with social media users recalling a 2023 incident in Gold Coast’s Southport where multiple pedestrians, including two women who suffered serious injuries, were bowled over by a single gust. “I’ve seen this happen… it injured two ladies rather badly,” one commenter noted, drawing parallels to the New Zealand footage.

Experts warn that such events are becoming more frequent amid climate change, which is supercharging atmospheric rivers and intensifying mid-latitude cyclones like the one responsible here. Dr. James Renwick, a climatologist at Victoria University of Wellington, told Reuters that “warmer oceans are fueling stronger storms, and we’re seeing the impacts in real time.” He urged urban planners to prioritize wind-resistant infrastructure, from reinforced crosswalks to early-warning apps that alert pedestrians to gust spikes.

In the immediate aftermath, New Zealand Police issued a public advisory: “Motorists, take care on the roads due to bad weather. Avoid traveling if possible and use extreme caution in severe winds.” Pedestrians, too, were cautioned against loose clothing or umbrellas that could act as sails in high winds. The Transport Agency closed several highways, including State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura, where rockfalls added to the hazards.

As cleanup crews fan out across the islands, the Wellington pedestrian’s story stands as both a cautionary tale and a testament to human resilience. She declined to be identified but reportedly told responding officers she was “just glad to be alive,” her words a quiet anchor amid the storm’s roar. For now, the winds have eased, but forecasters predict lingering showers into the weekend. Residents are left to tally the costs – estimated in the millions for infrastructure repairs alone – and reflect on how fragile our foothold can be when the elements turn hostile.

This storm, while not the deadliest in New Zealand’s history, highlights a growing vulnerability in an era of erratic weather. From the viral video’s frozen frame of a woman mid-tumble to the somber reports of a life lost under a tree’s weight, it’s a mosaic of peril that demands attention. As one local put it on X (formerly Twitter): “Blew Zealand” – a pun that captures the blend of awe and alarm rippling through a nation still catching its breath.