Construction of new homes plunged just over 30 percent in April from the previous month, amid the widespread lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to government data released Tuesday.

A woman wearing a face mask and the skyline of lower Manhattan are reflected in a puddle after heavy rain on May 11, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo: AFP)

The collapse put the rate of housing starts 29.7 percent below the same month of 2019, the Commerce Department reported.

The declines were widespread across the country, with the Northeast seeing construction fall nearly 44 percent while the decline in the Midwest was a relatively small 15 percent.