Oprah Winfrey took swift action to support Hawaiians during a natural disaster. Following a massive July 29 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, which triggered tsunami warnings across Hawaii, the media icon opened a private road through her estate to aid in local evacuation efforts.
According to Maui Police, the private road connects the coastal area of Wailea to the uplands of Kula and was crucial for helping residents get to higher ground.
Oprah’s Team Responds to Tsunami Alert
(Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)Oprah Winfrey has spent part of the past 15 years living in Hawaii and currently owns over 2,000 acres of land on Maui.
Her property includes a farm situated along the slopes of Haleakalā, a dormant volcano. While she typically keeps her private road closed to the public, Winfrey has opened it during emergencies, most notably in 2019 and 2023, to help residents evacuate during wildfires.
“As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,” a spokesperson for Winfrey said in a statement to People on July 30. “Any reports otherwise are false.”
The Color Purple star’s team clarified that the road was opened specifically for residents and visitors in Maui and would remain accessible for as long as needed.
Police & FEMA Coordinate Evacuation Efforts
Local authorities oversaw the road to ensure smooth traffic flow and public safety during the evacuation. “Officers are on-site assisting residents, allowing 50 cars through at a time,” the statement read. “The road will stay open for as long as it’s needed.”
Earthquake Triggers Statewide Warning
The 8.7-magnitude quake was among the strongest ever recorded and prompted widespread alerts. In a news release, Maui County warned that the earthquake could “cause damage along coastlines of all islands in the state” and urged “urgent actions” to protect lives and property.
By the morning of July 30, Hawaii’s evacuation orders were lifted. “We have downgraded the tsunami threat,” U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed, noting that while the situation could have escalated, “we’re grateful we didn’t have to deal with what this could have been.”
“Tsunamis aren’t just one wave,” said Dave Snider of the National Tsunami Warning Center. “It’s a series of powerful waves over a long period of time.”
He added, “They travel across the ocean at hundreds of miles per hour—like a jet in deep water—but slow down and pile up near the shore.”
Comments
Oprah Steps In Amid Tsunami Threat