Oprah Winfrey’s team has denied claims that she blocked her private road in Maui, Hawaii, on Wednesday during tsunami warnings and calls for evacuations.
The controversy arose after a social media post on X, which has since been updated to include a community note, claimed Winfrey’s private road was initially closed during critical evacuation hours.
URGENT: People in Maui, Hawaii are trying to escape the tsunami and are BEGGING Oprah to open the private road on her property.
She’s reportedly still refusing.
In a crisis, blocking an escape route is inhumane.#Tsunami #Maui #Oprah #LetThemOut pic.twitter.com/JeqeVwDcyS— Baatein Stock Ki (@BaateinStockKi) July 30, 2025
“This is not the Piilani Highway in Maui, which would lead to land in Kula where Oprah owns land,” stated the community note. “Furthermore, she does not have a private road and also has a home in Hana on the far side of the island, which is also not in the vicinity of the video or the photo.”
Winfrey’s spokesperson also denied these claims.
“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,” stated the spokesperson, according to The Daily Beast.
“Local law enforcement is 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.”
Although Winfrey has been confirmed to have a residence in the area, there is no indication that the road was closed off for evacuees during the tsunami warnings.
These warnings came shortly after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting officials from Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, and California to issue tsunami warnings and call for evacuations, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Warnings and evacuations have been called off in many areas, including Hawaii, though some remain in place as authorities look to remain vigilant in keeping residents safe.
Luckily, no casualties have been reported due to the earthquake or tsunami to this point, though some injuries and damage have been reported.