US EditionOprah Winfrey Rejects Claims She Closed Hawaii Road Amid Tsunami Warning
- On July 29, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuations in Hawaii including Maui.
- Tsunami alerts led to evacuation directives along the coast, while false claims circulated online alleging that Oprah Winfrey blocked access to a private road on her Maui property, a claim that was officially denied.
- Winfrey's spokesperson explained that her team promptly reached out to authorities, including FEMA, to ensure the private road was made accessible, a fact confirmed by the Maui Police Department for those evacuating.
- Law enforcement facilitated the evacuation by allowing groups of residents to pass in batches of 50 vehicles, assuring that the road would stay accessible as long as needed, while the tsunami warning was later reduced to an advisory.
- The event showed misinformation can spread quickly during emergencies, but official sources corroborated Winfrey's cooperation, and evacuation orders for coastal zones were lifted after the threat lessened.
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Oprah Opens Private Hawaii Road to Help Evacuees, Despite Rumors
Source: Luigi Iorio / Getty As tsunami warnings rolled across Hawaii on Tuesday night, Oprah Winfrey “stepped” in to help. The media maven opened a private road through her estate to aid in evacuation efforts on Maui. Triggered by a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, tsunami waves began hitting Hawaii late Tuesday. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, waves measuring up to 5 fe…
Oprah Winfrey didn’t refuse to open her private road for Hawaii evacuees during the tsunami warnings
After an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast caused tsunami warnings in Hawaii and across the Pacific, social media attention turned to Hawaii property owner and media magnate Oprah Winfrey. […] The post Oprah Winfrey didn’t refuse to open her private road for Hawaii evacuees during the tsunami warnings appeared first on Poynter.
Messages seen millions of times on the social media question the famous American television animator. According to these posts, she would not have allowed the opening of a way to her property, while the inhabitants were called to evacuate as soon as possible.
Oprah Winfrey denies closing Hawaii road amid tsunami warning
Oprah Winfrey refuted widespread online claims on July 30 that she blocked off a private road on a Hawaii property she owns, preventing tsunami evacuees from quickly reaching higher ground. Winfrey, 71, has a residence on the Hawaiian island of Maui, where tsunami warnings were issued after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Russia. Ms Nicole Nichols, a spokesperson for the American billionaire talk show host, said Winfrey’s team contacted local …
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