Oprah shuts down claims she blocked road access during Hawaii tsunami

One of the strongest earthquakes to be recorded struck off the coast of Russia, causing tsunami watches across the Pacific Ocean.

Before the rumor mill gets spinning, Oprah Winfrey is setting the record straight about whether or not she opened her private road in Maui amid the tsunami scare. 

On Tuesday, July 29, the 71-year-old media mogul released a statement refuting any false narratives claiming she refused to allow access to a private road she owns on the island, as many were taking to the roads to flee for higher ground.

“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,” Winfrey’s spokesperson told People magazine. “Any other reports are otherwise false.”

The road, which connects the Wailea area to higher elevation communities in Kula, was opened in coordination with local officials following tsunami alerts triggered by a massive earthquake off the coast of Russia, according to Deadline.

Hawaii was placed under tsunami watch on Tuesday evening after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting evacuations in coastal areas. While the resulting waves were relatively minor—just over 4 feet in some regions—officials urged residents to head for higher ground, with many traveling through upcountry routes like the one Winfrey owns.

According to Maui police, the road was opened at 7:16 p.m. local time and was used to allow dozens of cars to pass through, 50 at a time, under active traffic control. 

“The road will remain open as long as necessary,” Winfrey’s spokesperson added.

The tsunami warning had been downgraded to an advisory level by 11 p.m. local time in Hawai, per NBC News, and those who had evacuated were told they could return home. The tsunami reached the California coast shortly after 3 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning with a 4-feet, 4-inch wave recorded in the Arena Cove area.

The Associated Press reported that the earthquake was one of the strongest to ever be recorded. 

This isn’t the first time misinformation has swirled around Winfrey’s road during a natural disaster. In 2023, after devastating and deadly wildfires broke out on the island, a TikTok video claiming she had hired a private firefighting company, among other erroneous claims, began circulating before it was eventually removed from the platform.