Oprah Winfrey Claims 'Tsunami Warning Immediately Opened Private Road'... Denial Claims are 'Fake'

American talk show host Oprah Winfrey stated that she opened her private road as soon as the tsunami warning was issued in Hawaii.

Winfrey announced that she opened her private road in Maui, Hawaii for the safe evacuation of residents after a tsunami was triggered by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia.

According to BBC, waves of up to 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) were observed off the coast of Oahu due to the earthquake that occurred on July 29 off the coast of Russia. In Kahului, waves over 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) were recorded according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Subsequently, evacuation orders were issued for residents in Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast, and Japan. Winfrey allowed residents to pass through her private road to assist in their evacuation.

According to a statement from Winfrey's spokesperson provided to CNN, "As soon as we heard the tsunami warning, we contacted local law enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to have the road opened. Other reports are false," it stated.

The spokesperson added, "Local law enforcement is currently assisting residents in groups of 50 for everyone's safety. The road will remain open as long as necessary."

This clarification came after fans on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) accused Winfrey of 'refusing' to open the road, claiming she had not yet done so.

One social media user posted, "People trying to escape the tsunami in Maui, Hawaii, are pleading with Oprah to open the private road to higher ground, but she is still refusing." The user highlighted Oprah's road in blue, claiming, "The only other route to higher ground is the red route, which is blocked by traffic."

Despite these claims, Winfrey insisted that her team opened the road as soon as they heard the warning.

This is not the first instance of Winfrey providing assistance to Hawaii residents. When a fire broke out in Hawaii in July 2019, local residents requested access to this road for evacuation, and Winfrey claimed she allowed it immediately.

At that time, Winfrey posted on X, "Road access was immediately provided to county officials. This was a few hours ago. I hope for everyone's safety."

Four years later, Winfrey also provided relief to victims of the Maui wildfires. She donated $10 million for rescue and rebuilding efforts and provided personal support at temporary shelters.

Initial concerns led to evacuation orders in some areas, but both California and Hawaii have reported minimal damage so far. Hawaii has begun to lift evacuation advisories, and several alerts in California were downgraded overnight. However, authorities continue to warn that wave activity may persist throughout the day.

Tsunami warnings were issued for cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. In Japan, nearly 2 million people were instructed to evacuate.

In California, Humboldt and Del Norte counties received the most severe advisories. The Los Angeles Times reported that in other areas such as San Francisco and Southern California, waves remained below 2.5 feet.

Winfrey has a strong connection to Maui and currently owns about 1,000 acres. She began purchasing properties in the Kula area in 2003, adding 23 acres and several buildings for $5.3 million. Since then, she has become a resident there.

According to several reports, her Hawaii property purchases included a boutique bed and breakfast, which is believed to be used for guests visiting while Winfrey stays there.

Over the decades, she has acquired more properties in the area and is reported to have spent over $40 million on 163 acres of prime land in Hawaii. In March 2023, local news outlet KITV reported that Winfrey acquired 870 acres designated as 'agricultural land' in Kula for about $6.6 million.

She is known to have built a secret road to her properties, making access to densely populated areas in Maui easier. In addition to her Kula estate, she purchased over 60 acres in the Hana area in 2005.

Winfrey regularly showcases her vast Hawaiian land on Instagram, sharing videos of herself touring the properties in an all-terrain vehicle or hiking with her best friend, fellow TV host Gayle King.

Overall, Winfrey's real estate holdings are estimated to be worth about $158 million. Her primary residence in the U.S. is in the coastal area of Montecito, California, where her neighbors include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellen DeGeneres, and Portia de Rossi.