As Hawaiians fled for safety Tuesday following a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast, social media exploded with claims that Oprah Winfrey had initially refused to open her private road on Maui to evacuees seeking higher ground.
The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across all Hawaiian coasts, with waves up to 11 feet reported in Kahului on Maui. As residents scrambled to escape, several online voices accused Winfrey of blocking access to Haleakala Ranch Road, which reportedly leads uphill from the coastal community of Wailea.
Viral Accusations Spark Outrage
“Blows my mind that Oprah owns her own road in Hawaii… and refused to allow Hawaiians to use it to escape the tsunami,” wrote one user on X.
“Following INTENSE public pressure, Oprah’s private road has been OPENED… It should’ve been opened HOURS ago,” added journalist Nick Sortor.
The claim quickly gained traction online, with critics accusing the billionaire media mogul of prioritizing private property over public safety.
Oprah’s Team: “False Claims”
Winfrey’s spokesman responded swiftly, telling People magazine the allegations were false:
“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened. Any other reports are otherwise false.”
The spokesman said local authorities were managing traffic to ensure safety and confirmed the road would remain open as long as necessary.
Maui County Confirms Road Was Open
To support the statement, Maui County issued an alert early Tuesday confirming the road’s availability:
“Oprah’s road is open to get Upcountry,” the message read, citing the Maui Police Department.
Tsunami Update
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Waves up to 11 feet struck parts of Maui
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Kahului saw the largest surge
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Evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday night as the tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory
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No fatalities reported as of the latest update
“Based on that data I feel confident that at least we’re past the worst part of it,” said Chip McCreery, director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Volcanic Activity Follows Quake
Adding to the chaos, Russia’s Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted following the quake. While scientists say the earthquake didn’t cause the eruption, it likely increased its intensity.
