Yesterday, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuations across the Pacific, including in Hawaii.
And amid the warnings, rumors spread online that Oprah had kept the private road running through her Maui estate closed — which could have aided in evacuation efforts.
According to Deadline, Oprah owns a $100-million property with a private road that runs inland, connecting the beachfront area of Wailea to the elevated location of Kula. Oprah, who has a reported net worth of $3.2 billion, has reportedly lived part-time in Hawaii since the early 2000s and owns over 2,000 acres of land in Maui, specifically.
However, Oprah denied the claims through a spokesperson. In a statement to Oprah Daily, her rep said that once management over the estate learned of a possible tsunami, it immediately contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make sure the road was open.
They said, "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."
The statement also said the road would remain accessible for as long as needed. "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," the statement said.
“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…
In a separate statement made on the Maui County website, the Maui Police Department also confirmed that "Oprah’s road is open."
Officials later changed the tsunami warning to an advisory before dropping it late this morning. According to USA Today, no significant damage has been reported.
Tsunami Advisory for the State of Hawai'i is CANCELLED and ALL CLEAR as of 08:58 AM HST Wednesday 07/30/2025. pic.twitter.com/JEi04oaugf
