Oprah Winfrey has denied widespread claims about her blocking a private road on her Maui estate to prevent residents from reaching higher ground at the time of a tsunami evacuation. The billionaire talk show host is the owner of a property on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Tsunami warnings were issued for the area in the wake of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake on the east coast of Russia, Fox News reported.
A spokesperson for Winfrey has stated that the claims circulating online are not true at all.In a statement, the spokesperson said that they got in touch with the local law enforcement as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make sure the road was opened “as soon as we heard the tsunami warnings.” “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 will remain open as long as necessary,” it added.
Oprah Winfrey came under fire on social media
The statement from Oprah Winfrey's spokesperson comes after several angry users accused her on social media of refusing to make the private road available at any point in time to help in evacuating the people, despite reports about heavy traffic on the island.
{{/usCountry}}The statement from Oprah Winfrey's spokesperson comes after several angry users accused her on social media of refusing to make the private road available at any point in time to help in evacuating the people, despite reports about heavy traffic on the island.
{{/usCountry}}The tsunami warning, which was issued overnight by the authorities, prompted widespread evacuations as people tried to reach higher ground across the Hawaiian island.
Soon, rumors started doing the rounds on the internet, suggesting that the residents were not being allowed to pass through a private, gated road that remained a part of Winfrey’s property.
Also read: Tsunami advisory issued for US West Coast: Key safety tips you must know
Several photographs and videos from the region had also gained significant attention on social media. In one particular video, a person could allegedly be seen in his vehicle outside Winfrey's property, while the local police guarded the area.
"Come on Oprah, save us," the person can be heard saying in the video, Fox News reported. On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the evacuation order was lifted for the coastal inundation zones. “We will continue to monitor in Hawaii, Alaska, and California,” she added.
FAQs:
Why was the tsunami warning issued?
It was triggered by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia.
What's the latest on tsunami warnings?
As per CNN, these have now been downgraded to advisories.
Which regions were affected in the US?
The tsunami waves had reached US shores overnight, including parts of Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.