Tsunami threat in Hawaii: Oprah Winfrey opened her private road

Residents of Hawaii were under threat of a tsunami on Wednesday, July 30, after Russia was hit by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake earlier this week, one of the largest earthquakes recorded in history. In the chaos, Oprah Winfrey was accused of not opening the private road around her home in Maui during the tsunami warning, which is a higher level than a tsunami watch. Soon after, Oprah’s representative made a statement about the scandal.

Oprah owns an estate in Maui, around which there is a private road. Her property manager, Bob Green, suggested buying land on one of the Hawaiian islands. «I grew up in a rural environment and still rooted in what has brought me comfort for many years», - Oprah said about buying a home in Maui, according to her website. «Bob was concerned that some developer might buy the land and build condominiums».

Yes, contrary to online rumors, Oprah did open her private road for residents of Hawaii to evacuate. Maui County issued a press release stating, «Oprah's road is open for uphill evacuation, according to Maui police». In addition, Oprah’s representative told People magazine that the road was opened after the tsunami warning was announced. «As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was open», - the representative said in a statement. «Any other reports are false. Local law enforcement is currently on site and helping residents pass through 50 cars at a time to ensure everyone’s safety. The road will be open as long as necessary»