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Oprah Winfrey is responding to claims that she shut the doors of her Maui estate during a tsunami evacuation in Hawaii, denying panicked residents her private access road. Residents of specific locations in the United States, Japan, Russia, and Colombia plunged into panic following warnings of an incoming tsunami, triggered by the magnitude 8.8 earthquake which struck off the eastern coast of Russia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Expectedly, this urgent evacuation notice led to gridlocks along major roads as residents scrambled for safety in their numbers.
Amid the panic, some residents in the Maui neighborhood of Hawaii sought a way out via entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey’s private estate. The road in question is located within the Hawaiian ranch, and extends from the Wailea coastal area to the Kula uplands, and hence provides easy access to Kula, where Islanders hoped to find safety due to its higher grounds. However, the billionaire reportedly refused them entry, shutting her estate’s private road to the endangered public.
What Really Happened in Maui?
A video circulating on social media showed one Islander outside the billionaire’s property calling on Winfrey to save them. His camera panning the area revealed other fleeing Islanders stuck in their vehicles, with multiple police cars and officers guarding the area. The video sparked an online frenzy, with enraged netizens slamming Oprah Winfrey for turning a blind eye and disrupting evacuation efforts in the face of disaster. However, the billionaire, via her spokesperson, has since responded to these allegations, spilling her side of the story.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Oprah Winfrey’s representative explained that the Maui estate in fact swung into action as soon as they heard about the tsunami warnings, contacting the appropriate authorities to make the private road accessible. The statement also debunked contrary reports as false, vindicating the former TV host who has faced online scrutiny since the rumors. They also assured that the gates would remain open for as long as necessary to guarantee the public’s safety. It read,
“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. through 50 cars at a time to ensure everyone’s safety. The road will remain open as long as necessary.”
Oprah Winfrey Lauded for Aiding Disaster Response
As residents fled the coastal areas for higher grounds, the impact of the natural disaster took its course, with water levels reaching up to 5 feet in areas like Haleiwa, resulting in massive flooding. However, the impact did not hit as badly in the Hawaii region. The Pacific Tsunami Center director, Chip McCreery, confirmed the worst was over at about 10:40 pm local time in Hawaii. Subsequently, the tsunami warning was degraded to an “advisory,” and the evacuation order, eventually lifted. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement,
“The evacuation order has been lifted for coastal inundation zones. Please be careful when returning and watch out for damage. We will continue to monitor in Hawaii, Alaska, and California.”
This isn’t the first time the Maui property owner Oprah Winfrey has gotten caught up in the heat of a natural disaster in Hawaii. Back in 2019, the 71-year-old opened the doors of her sprawling estate to residents to assist with evacuations during a wildfire that swept across Maui. At the time, many took to social media to call out the TV host for allegedly failing to grant officials and residents access to her estate.
However, the icon clarified that she already opened her gates to ensure successful evacuation long before the online backlash. The governeor of Hawaii eventually took to X to thank the mogul for coming through for the commnunity. Six years later, and the 71-year-old property owner has once again proven herself a true Maui hero.
