On July 29, 2025, as Hawaii faced tsunami waves after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia, a rumor claimed that Oprah Winfrey prevented people from using her private road to evacuate on the island of Maui. Winfrey has been a part-time Maui resident since buying property on the island in 2003.
Numerous posts highlighted the routes people were taking to escape the imminent tsunami waves, claiming that the media mogul's private road on her estate was a shortcut to getting to higher ground but was closed. Per one post:
BREAKING: Oprah HAS NOT opened her private road from Wailea to Kula, Hawaii, which would allow coastal folks to reach higher ground quickly, locals tell me
OPEN THE ROAD, @OPRAH!
Roads on Maui are GRIDLOCKED as people try to escape the incoming Tsunami
"I'm stuck with my children in the truck with sirens going off," Maui resident Shelby Hosana tells me
"If Oprah's road was open, I could have a way to get out. Instead we will just hope and pray the first wave time estimates are correct and we still have time to get to higher ground."
(X user @nicksortor)
The above post stating the road was blocked was shared around 4:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Per a Maui County tsunami alert on July 29 for 7 p.m. HST (published at 7:16 p.m.), Winfrey's road was open for the public to use:
Maui Veterans Highway is congested; use Cane Haul Road toward Hansen and Pulehu roads to get to Kula. Road above Makena Golf Course provides access to Ulupalakua. Also, Oprah's road is open to get Upcountry, according to Maui Police Department.
A number of posts on X and TikTok claimed (without evidence) that Winfrey only opened her road in response to public pressure. Winfrey denied these reports. In a statement on her official X account, a spokesperson wrote:
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. 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.
There were numerous reports of heavy traffic on the roads ahead of the tsunami. That congestion, coupled with only 50 cars being allowed through Winfrey's private road at a time, makes it highly likely that evacuees were waiting in long lines and restricted because of the number of cars already going through the area.
The tsunami waves first hit Hawaii's island of Kauai at around 7:30 p.m. local time. The first major tsunami wave in Maui was recorded on the island's North Shore at around 8 p.m. local time. However, by June 30, 2025, there were no reports of widespread damage and the tsunami warnings were downgraded, then canceled entirely.
Sources:
Goodfellow, Melanie. "Oprah Winfrey Spokesperson Refutes Claims Road On Hawaii Estate Closed During Tsunami Evacuation." Deadline, 30 Jul. 2025, https://deadline.com/2025/07/oprah-winfrey-denies-claims-private-road-hawaii-tsunami-1236474014/. Accessed 30 July 2025.
Kent, Lauren and Jessie Yeung, Tori B. Powell, Lex Harvey, Taylor Romine, Karina Tsui, Hanna Park, Kathleen Magramo, Christian Edwards, Olivia Kemp, Kara Fox. "Tsunami Waves Hit US Shores after 8.8 Magnitude Quake Strikes Russia's Far East." CNN, 30 Jul. 2025, https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/russia-japan-tsunami-earthquake-hnk-intl-07-30-25. Accessed 30 July 2025.
"MEMA ALERT: Press Release - Maui County Tsunami Warning Update As Of 7 PM." Maui County, https://www.mauicounty.gov/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=2540. Accessed 30 July 2025.
"Traffic Heavy across the State with Hawaii under Tsunami Warning." Https://Www.Hawaiinewsnow.Com, 30 Jul. 2025, https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/07/30/traffic-heavy-across-state-with-hawaii-under-tsunami-warning/. Accessed 30 July 2025.
"Tsunami Warning for Hawaii Downgraded to Advisory Level." Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 29 Jul. 2025, https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/07/29/breaking-news/magnitude-8-0-earthquake-off-russia-prompts-tsunami-watch-for-hawaii/. Accessed 30 July 2025.
"Waves Reach Hawaii, California after 8.8-Magnitude Russia Quake." The Washington Post, 29 Jun. 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/07/29/tsunami-west-coast-japan-87-quake-russia/. Accessed 30 July 2025.
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