'People Are Stuck': Why Is Oprah Winfrey Facing Backlash Amid Hawaii Tsunami Evacuations?

Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 16:13 IST

Hawaii Tsunami Alert: Amid evacuations, Oprah Winfrey faced backlash for not opening a private road on her Maui estate.

Oprah Winfrey

As Hawaii scrambles to respond to tsunami warnings following a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast, Oprah Winfrey faced online backlash for allegedly refusing to open a private road on her Maui estate.

What Triggered Tsunami Alert In Hawaii?

The tsunami warning in Hawaii and across large parts of the Pacific was issued after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia- one of the strongest quakes ever recorded in the region. While the epicenter was far from Hawaii, tsunami waves and surges were forecast across the Pacific basin, including Japan, Alaska and the US West Coast. Though waves reaching Hawaii were later downgraded from a warning to an advisory, initial evacuations were triggered island-wide, particularly in vulnerable coastal zones.

Traffic Chaos In Maui As Evacuations Intensify

With evacuation efforts intensifying in Maui, videos on social media showed massive traffic bottlenecks, especially in popular areas like Wailea, as residents attempted to drive to higher ground. Emergency sirens blared across coastal neighborhoods while gridlocked vehicles sat stalled for hours.

Read more: Pacific On Edge After Massive Russia Quake: 1 Dead In Japan, US On Tsunami Alert, Evacuations On

Amid this chaos, criticism erupted online that Oprah Winfrey’s private road connecting Wailea to the inland town of Kula remained closed. According to social media users, the route- located on her expansive property- could have provided a valuable escape corridor as thousands tried to flee vulnerable shoreline areas.

One viral post read, “Oprah won’t open her private road from Wailea to Kula, which would make it much easier for locals to get to higher ground. Massive traffic in Maui with thousands trying to escape. Open the road Oprah" while another user wrote, “A potentially life-saving route is being kept closed while people are stuck in cars with sirens blaring."

Oprah Winfrey Opened Road Earlier

During the 2023 Maui wildfires, Oprah Winfrey received widespread praise for opening her private road to assist evacuation and relief efforts. Oprah Winfrey, a longtime landowner and part-time resident of Maui, owns hundreds of acres on the island.

What About Tsunami Alert In Hawaii?

Authorities have since downgraded the tsunami warning in Hawaii to an advisory and Maui’s evacuation order was lifted. However, traffic remains backed up in parts of the island and fear over aftershocks and lingering wave surges continues.

Hawaii, USA

News world 'People Are Stuck': Why Is Oprah Winfrey Facing Backlash Amid Hawaii Tsunami Evacuations?

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