Oprah Winfrey is shutting down rumors that she blocked off a road on her $100 million Maui estate during a tsunami evacuation following Tuesday’s 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s coast.
As tsunami warnings reached Hawaii, residents were told to move to higher ground overnight. Social media chatter quickly pointed fingers at Winfrey, accusing her of keeping a private road closed—potentially limiting escape routes for locals trying to flee rising waves.
Her team says that’s completely false.
“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened. Any reports otherwise are false,” a spokesperson stated. “Local law enforcement are currently on site helping residents through 50 cars at a time to ensure everyone’s safety. The road will remain open as long as necessary.”
The road, which stretches from Wailea to Kula through her property, was confirmed by the Maui Police Department to be open.
“Oprah’s road is open to get Upcountry,” police said.
The tsunami threat has since been downgraded to an advisory, but waves still hit multiple Hawaiian islands. Oahu reported a four-foot wave, while Kahului on Maui saw a five-foot surge. Hilo experienced similar wave activity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Evacuation alerts also extended to parts of the U.S. West Coast and Japan.
Winfrey’s quick response and coordination with FEMA helped maintain access during a tense moment, putting speculation about her intentions to rest.
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