Accusations a private road running through Oprah Winfrey’s estate on the Hawaiian island of Maui remained closed as local residents attempted to move to higher ground following a tsunami warning overnight were rebutted Wednesday morning.
As Deadline notes, a statement issued to the media said staff managing the estate immediately cooperated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as news of the potential tsunami broke and warnings of gridlock on local roads went public.
“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,’ it read.
The statement, which followed in the wake of multiple social media posts suggesting the road was closed, was also backed up by the Maui Police Department, which, in an earlier advisory, announced that “Oprah’s road is open to get Upcountry.”
The statement acted to rebut criticisms spreading on social media that she had closed the access route. Oprah had not.
The Deadline report further noted Winfrey is not alone in having a private part of the island to herself.
The actress and former talk show host is among a raft of stars and high-profile figures who own property on Hawaii’s second largest island of Maui alongside the likes of Woody Harrelson, Jeff Bezos and Owen Wilson.
Residents and visitors found themselves backed up in traffic as they try to leave the the Ala Way Harbor, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii on July 29, 2025, after an 8.7 earthquake off of Russia’s far east prompted tsunami alerts. (EUGENE TANNER/AFP via Getty Images)
The tsunami alert that sparked the action to open the road came after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, as Breitbart News reported.
Many people in Hawaii, as well as areas of the U.S. West Coast and Japan were told to evacuate after the quake hit Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, the BBC stated.
According to the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center (USNTWC), the earthquake hit Russia in the early hours of Wednesday.
