Oprah finally opens her private Maui road so people can escape Tsunami

The earthquake, which struck last night, prompted a tsunami warning across the Pacific, including Hawaii, where waves up to 6 feet peak-to-trough were reported. Winfrey’s road, connecting Wailea to Kula and providing a direct route to higher ground, became a critical lifeline as other evacuation routes faced severe traffic congestion.

Maui County officials confirmed Winfrey’s decision, noting it mirrored her actions during a 2019 brush fire when she also opened the road to aid evacuations. The road, paved by OW Ranch LLC in December 2010, is typically private and gated, with no public access under normal circumstances. However, the urgency of the tsunami threat led to its temporary opening, significantly easing the movement of residents to safer, higher elevations.

The tsunami warning, issued for the entire state of Hawaii, urged residents to evacuate coastal areas to at least the fourth floor of buildings or higher ground. In Maui, sirens blared, and officials advised calling the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at (808) 270-7285 for details. All commercial harbors were closed, and flights to and from Kahului Airport were canceled, with passengers sheltering in terminals. Hilo Airport remained closed as of 8:30 p.m. HST on July 29, but operations began resuming as the situation stabilized.

Governor Josh Green emphasized the force of tsunami waves, describing them as “a different beast” from regular ocean waves, and cautioned residents against returning to evacuated areas until an all-clear was given.