Oprah Winfrey has faced backlash after being accused of delaying the opening of a private road on her Maui estate during tsunami warnings. The 71-year-old media mogul owns a stretch of road connecting Wailea to Kula, which locals claim could ease congestion on coastal highways as residents fled to higher ground.
Social media erupted with criticism, with one widely shared post alleging: “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.” Others called the route “life-saving” and demanded it be opened immediately.
However, Maui Police confirmed the road is now open. In a statement, they advised: “Maui Veterans Highway is congested; use Cane Haul Road toward Hansen and Pulehu roads to get to Kula. Also, Oprah’s road is open to get Upcountry.” A spokesperson for Winfrey denied the delay, stating: “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 incident follows last year’s wildfires when Winfrey made the road available to support evacuation efforts. On Monday, a tsunami alert was issued for Hawaii after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Russia, prompting widespread evacuations and heavy traffic across Maui.
