Oprah Winfrey opened a private road on a property she owns in Maui to help residents evacuate after a tsunami warning, according to the authorities on the Hawaiian island.
Ms. Winfrey, the billionaire media mogul, has renovated a ranch on the slopes of Mount Haleakala, a dormant volcano, and owns a road that runs from a coastal area in the southwestern part of the island to higher ground. “Oprah’s road is open to get Upcountry,” Maui County officials said in a statement on Tuesday, citing the Maui Police Department.
Some people on social media had previously accused Ms. Winfrey of keeping the road closed. A representative of Ms. Winfrey’s Harpo Productions company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Residents of Hawaii fled coastal areas after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in the North Pacific off the coast of Russia prompted tsunami warnings. Mountain roads were choked with traffic and flights were canceled.
The tsunami appeared to have caused little damage in Hawaii by early Wednesday, state officials said. The first waves arrived at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening Pacific time, flooding streets and parking lots.
The tsunami warning for Hawaii was later downgraded to an advisory, meaning that it could cause dangerous currents but not necessarily further widespread flooding, and state officials said those who had evacuated could return home based on the assessments and directives of each county’s authorities.
Ms. Winfrey is one of several billionaires who have spent millions on property on Maui, which boasts lush vegetation and stunning views. Others include Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel.
In 2023, Ms. Winfrey bought and distributed supplies to people hurt by deadly wildfires on the island.
Matthew Mpoke Bigg is a London-based reporter on the Live team at The Times, which covers breaking and developing news.
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