Oprah Opens Private Road to Help Maui During Tsunami Warning

When disaster strikes, every bit of help counts—especially from those with resources to spare. Oprah Winfrey is being praised for doing just that after she opened her private road in Maui to assist residents fleeing from a tsunami threat earlier this week.

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The tsunami alert was triggered after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the early hours of Wednesday local time. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center quickly issued warnings for areas around the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast, and parts of Japan.

In Hawaii, tsunami waves began arriving Tuesday night. A wave measuring 5 feet was recorded in Kahului, located on the north-central coast of Maui, and another over 4 feet hit Oahu. Smaller but still concerning waves were recorded in Hilo and other parts of the islands.

As evacuation orders rolled out across the islands, Maui County shared a key update: Oprah’s private road was open to help residents in the Upcountry area — a region at higher elevation near Haleakalā.

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According to a spokesperson for Winfrey, the media mogul immediately reached out to local officials and FEMA when the warnings came in. “As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,” the spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.

Law enforcement was stationed on-site, managing traffic flow and helping guide residents through safely. According to reports, they were allowing about 50 cars at a time to use the road. The route remained open through the evening, offering a safer path away from the coast for those in danger.

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By 11 p.m. local time in Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center downgraded the warning to an advisory. Officials said it was safe for residents to return home, though they urged people to remain cautious and avoid shorelines.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green said that some of the highest waves were recorded near the Midway Atoll, a remote island halfway between Hawaii and Japan, where wave heights reached about 6 feet.

Tsunami experts emphasized that these events aren’t over quickly. Dave Snider of the National Tsunami Warning Center explained that a tsunami isn’t just a single wave but a series of waves that can last for hours. “They move like jet planes across the ocean, but when they reach the coast, they slow down and can pile up, making them more dangerous,” he said.

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While no major damage has been reported so far, officials remain alert. Waves from the same tsunami were also recorded along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California early Wednesday, with a 4-foot tide hitting Arena Cove in Northern California.

Thanks to quick action by both local authorities and individuals like Oprah, many Hawaiians had safer options during a very uncertain time.

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Oprah Opens Her Private Road to Help Maui Residents During Tsunami Warning  was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com