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First Post
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
Did Oprah Winfrey not open her private road for tsunami evacuations in Hawaii?
American host Oprah Winfrey is at the centre of a social media storm, after claims that she blocked a private road on her Maui property during a tsunami evacuation. There was speculation that the route could have offered residents a faster escape route, as they scrambled to move to higher ground. Winfrey, however, has denied the claims. Here's what really happened read more Online users accused American host Oprah Winfrey of blocking access to a private road on her Maui property that could have offered residents a faster escape route during the evacuation. File image/Reuters As tsunami warnings rippled across the Pacific following a massive 8.8‑magnitude earthquake off Russia's eastern coast, American host Oprah Winfrey unexpectedly found herself at the centre of a social media storm. Online users accused the media icon of blocking access to a private road on her Maui property that could have offered residents a faster escape route during the evacuation. Posts on platforms such as X and TikTok claimed Winfrey either refused to open the road or was slow to do so as thousands scrambled to move to higher ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Winfrey has since dismissed the allegations, insisting that efforts to open the road to the public started soon after the tsunami warning was issued and denying any suggestion she had withheld access. Here's a closer look at how the claims spread and what actually happened. What were the claims? In the hours after the tsunami warning, social media erupted with posts accusing Winfrey of refusing to open a private road that runs through her Maui property. Many viral posts referred to it as the 'Oprah road', a route named after the American host, which connects the coastal town of Wailea to the elevated region of Kula, could have drastically reduced traffic congestion during evacuations. 'Look at this. I think they're trying to open Oprah's road. C'mon Oprah, save us… Everybody trying to get in. Cops trying to open it. Nope, still closed,' a man said in one widely shared video, in which the gates to the road could be clearly seen. Why hasn't Oprah opened her road? This could save lives… — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to one user on X, the private road was eventually opened, allowing evacuees to reach safer ground. The opening itself became a talking point online, with another X user claiming it only happened after widespread public outcry. 'BREAKING: Following INTENSE public pressure, Oprah's private road has been OPENED to those escaping the tsunami WELL DONE, EVERYONE! It should've been opened HOURS ago, but if you're in Wailea on Maui and need to get to higher ground, USE OPRAH'S ROAD NOW! Haleakala Ranch Rd, Maui, HI,' the user wrote. 🚨 BREAKING: Oprah HAS NOT opened her private road from Wailea to Kula, Hawaii, which would allow coastal folks to reach higher ground quickly, locals tell me OPEN THE ROAD, @OPRAH! Roads on Maui are GRIDLOCKED as people try to escape the incoming Tsunami 'I'm stuck with my… — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ** ALSO READ | What caused 8.8 earthquake in Russia's Kamchatka?** Oprah denies the claims about blocking the road Winfrey's representatives swiftly moved to counter the accusations, calling them 'false and misleading.' According to Nicole Nichols, a spokesperson for Oprah Winfrey, the television host's team acted promptly upon learning of the tsunami threat. She stated that Winfrey's representatives immediately contacted both local law enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure that evacuation routes, including the road in question, were accessible. 'Any reports otherwise are false,' Nichols told AFP, emphasising that the property owner and her staff prioritised public safety and worked directly with the relevant authorities to facilitate evacuation operations. Despite the online outrage directed at Winfrey, it turns out the road at the centre of the controversy does not legally belong to her. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ | Why Russia earthquake set off tsunami alerts across US Why it wasn't Oprah's call to open the road Although widely referred to online as 'Oprah's road,' the route isn't actually owned by Oprah Winfrey. The private road belongs to Haleakala Ranch, a 30,000-acre property that stretches from Maui's southern shoreline to its upcountry region. The ranch has been family-owned since the late 1800s, The Guardian reported. Winfrey holds an easement agreement with the ranch, which allows her to use and maintain the road. As part of that agreement, she paved it, but she doesn't control public access. According to Winfrey's spokesperson, the decision to open the road rested with Haleakalā Ranch. Ranch president Scott Meidell confirmed they consulted with Winfrey's land management team during the process. Waves slam into a seawall off Waikiki beach in Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday after authorities downgraded earlier tsunami warnings. Reuters Meidell said the ranch contacted Maui's fire department and emergency management officials shortly after 3 pm, and the road was opened around 5 pm Ranch staff helped evacuate about 150–200 vehicles, with the final convoy escorted by 7 pm. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Maui County later confirmed in a public advisory that the road was open, though further evacuations weren't needed beyond that point. This isn't the first time Winfrey has faced scrutiny over the same road. In 2023, during the Maui wildfires, false claims again surfaced suggesting she blocked public access. At the time, she and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson launched the People's Fund for Maui, pledging $10 million. The fund had raised nearly $60 million by April 2024. Even earlier, in 2019, she had granted the county permission to use the road during a brushfire alert, though it ultimately wasn't needed. With input from agencies
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prince Harry Called Oprah in a Panic to Handle Delicate 'Problem' at Home
Prince Harry Called Oprah in a Panic to Handle Delicate 'Problem' at Home originally appeared on Parade. When makes an urgent call to on a holiday weekend, one might assume it's for another bombshell interview. But a recent 'crisis' at the Duke of Sussex's Montecito estate required a different kind of intervention from the media mogul, sparking a frantic chase across her property. Since their alliance was solidified in their explosive 2021 television special, Harry and Oprah have become more than just interviewer and subject; they are neighbors in the ultra-exclusive Southern California enclave they both call home. It was this neighborly bond that prompted Harry to send an S.O.S. to Winfrey over Easter. During a recent appearance on 's podcast, Let's Talk Off Camera, Oprah revealed the hilarious story behind the prince's panicked plea. "I get a call from Harry, Prince Harry, on Easter Saturday, and he says, 'Sorry to bother you, O, but we have a duck problem here,'" Winfrey recounted, adopting a cheeky British accent to impersonate the royal. The high-stakes issue wasn't a security breach or another royal family spat. It was, quite literally, a flock of wayward waterfowl. "A duck had come into their yard and laid their eggs and had these chicks," Oprah continued in her best Harry voice. "And he said, 'Our pond is a stream, we don't have a pond, so can we bring the ducks over to your pond?'" Winfrey, whose BFF 's grandchildren were set to visit, happily agreed to welcome the new feathered residents to her estate. But the transfer didn't go as smoothly as planned. Despite Oprah's request to wait for the kids, Harry was insistent. "He goes, 'No, we're coming right away, we're coming over!'" she said. What followed was a scene of pure, unadulterated chaos. "As he opens the door, the mama duck flies out. And he's got all the baby ducks in a box," Winfrey described. The escape set off a mad dash. "We're chasing the mama duck who is in the front yard and has flown to the other side. We've got her ducks. Harry's running after, Meghan gets out, she's running after, chasing the mom and trying to get her to come back to her ducks." The spectacle of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chasing a frantic bird left Oprah in stitches. "And for like half an hour, we're running around with the ducks in a box. We have video. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen," she concluded with a laugh. Host Kelly Ripa summed up the situation perfectly. "The ducks also hit the jackpot," Ripa joked. "They're like, 'Wait a minute, we show up at Prince Harry's house and now we're at Oprah's!' Excuse me. That duck knew what it was doing when it laid its eggs." Meghan later shared a clip of the ducks on her Instagram, giving the public a small peek into the great Easter duck chase. Prince Harry Called Oprah in a Panic to Handle Delicate 'Problem' at Home first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Meghan Markle keeps making veiled threats she has a secret royal bombshell… but her hints won't work, expert slams
BOMBSHELL HINTS Meghan Markle keeps making veiled threats she has a secret royal bombshell… but her hints won't work, expert slams Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MEGHAN Markle makes veiled threats hinting at a secret royal bombshell - but her plan won't work - an expert claimed. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has alluded to the fact she has "receipts" that could back up her allegations against The Firm since quitting the UK in 2020. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Meghan and Harry have hinted they're sitting on more allegations against the royals - but it won't matter, claimed a royal expert Credit: Getty 6 Jack Royston claimed Meghan has made "veiled hints" she has "receipts" over the years Credit: Getty 6 The expert said the couple "botched" their Oprah interview Credit: Reuters Harry and Meghan have repeatedly trashed the Royal Family, from their infamous 2021 Oprah interview, their Netflix docuseries, the Duke's book Spare, and his most recent explosive BBC interview. In particular, their appearance on Oprah sparked huge controversy after the couple claimed there had been conversations about Archie's skin colour. They also alleged Meghan's suffering mental health, during her time as part of the institution, had not been addressed. But royal expert Jack Royston sat down with The Sun's Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson and argued it wouldn't matter if the Sussexes did plan on dropping any more bombshells. He told The Royal Exclusive show: "The problem is with the way Harry and Meghan piled in quite relentlessly on the royals. "Particularly, I do think the Oprah interview, they did botch it... it could have been done differently and better in a way that would be less toxic and destructive. "The racism allegation, they have clearly tried to change it retrospectively or row it back. "So, obviously, Meghan botched how she described that story. "But there's always been this thing that Meghan's kind of intimated that she's got receipt, that was in the days after Oprah, one of her friends went on ITV and said, 'we've got the receipts to prove everything'. "There was also a point where she was giving an interview and she said 'I've never signed anything, so I can say whatever I want'. Harry's 'peace talks' have scheming Meghan's hand all over them, he looks lost in his sad little life "So, she's always had this tendency to give these kind of slightly veiled threats that she's sitting on this bombshell. "There was one point I think they suggested they'd found their diaries that they kept during these periods. "They've always been floating these ideas that they're sitting on a kind of a massive nuclear warhead that they can drop at any point." 'DESTROYED THEMSELVES' However, Mr Royston claimed the Sussexes have become "villains" in the UK - and aren't particularly popular in the US now either. He believed their lack of fan support would see any further allegations dismissed relatively rapidly. The expert added how he did not think any of the royals would be "scared" of any more digs. "Ultimately, they destroyed themselves by the way they basically relentlessly attacked Harry's own family in a context where no-one was fighting back," he continued. "And so, they may well still be sitting on unused material that Harry says he'll never share. "But it doesn't matter anymore because even if they did, they're so uniformly viewed as the villains, particularly in Britain, but even in America, they're not viewed in this protective way anymore. "So, even if they are sitting on some unexploded bombs, I don't actually think that the royals need to be too scared of it." Prince Harry and Meghan's £100million deal with Netflix SCRAPPED in 'huge loss of revenue' for couple By Clemmie Moodie, Assistant Editor, The Sun PRINCE Harry and wife Meghan's £100million deal with Netflix has been scrapped. The streamer will not renew their contract when it expires in September. The Sussexes and Netflix have mutually decided not to make an official announcement. But streaming execs have quietly agreed to part ways. It comes after Harry's vanity project, Polo, about the sport, was watched by just 500,000 people. It was also understood that bosses were mildly infuriated by Meghan making her As Ever brand a priority. A source said: 'The deal is done; no more shows will be made. 'Netflix feel they've got all they can from the couple. 'Netflix were clever in that they got a hell of a lot of viewers for the first documentary series, and knew, realistically, it would prove the zenith of content from the Montecito pair. 'They're not unhappy with how things turned out — they got those initial hits, and produced one of the most talked-about shows of all time. 'The content got weaker from there on but, frankly, for £20million a year, anything was better than nothing. 'There's no animosity from either side. 'Things have just run their course. 'Netflix execs are well aware Meghan's priority now is her own brand, and they won't play second fiddle to that. 'Publicly, there will not be a statement and of course, if things change dramatically, they'd be open to a one-off project down the line. 'But for Harry, especially, this will be a blow. 'It's a huge loss of revenue.' Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is believed to remain on good terms with Meghan. The source said streamer Paramount+ was thought to be keen to work with the couple, who would be open to it if the right project came along. This comes after a secret peace summit was held between Prince Harry and King Charles' aides, which sparked hope for royal fans hoped their icy relationship would thaw. But it appears there will be no reconciliation between the father and son. Speaking on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, royal expert Robert Jobson said Prince Harry will have to make people forget that he sold out his family if he wants a comeback. Meanwhile, The Sun's Royal show asked viewers if they wanted to see the two reconcile, and a staggering 73% said no. Robert said: "I think it's too late. Too much has gone under the bridge, in my opinion. Too much water." Sky News royal editor Rhiannon Mills agreed, saying Harry had thrown his family "under the bus". She added: "The biggest issue for Harry and Meghan, is that an awful lot has been said. "The whole family kind of went under the bus, really, in the documentaries and in Spare. And there are lots of things that they cannot erase in terms of what's been said." Inside Prince William and Prince Harry's 'feud' TENSIONS have been running high in the royal family since Prince Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California with Meghan Markle. Their last reported interaction was during the funeral of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, but conversations were said to be brief. The feuding brothers reportedly did not speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. Growing up, Wills and Harry shared many of the same friends who were part of their close, tight-knit circle. But their relationship took a sour turn after Harry lobbed vile allegations against the Prince of Wales in his memoir Spare - and they are said to have not been in direct contact since the 2023 release. In the book, he claimed William had physically attacked him and knocked him to the floor in 2019 and made insulting comments about Meghan. The Sussexes had also targeted Princess Kate, when Meghan claimed the royal made her cry. The bitter feud was ignited when the Sussexes told Oprah, in their 2021 sit down interview, that certain members of the Royal Family had speculated about Prince Archie's skin colour. It was later claimed the royals were Princess Kate and King Charles, after Harry and Meghan's former pal Omid Scobie published his hatchet-job book Endgame. During the infamous Oprah interview, the duchess also made stinging comments about the Firm and how they handled her mental health struggles. Prince William and Harry's bond then worsened after the Sussexes made a number of accusations against the Royal Family in their 2022 Netflix docuseries. The duke has given subsequent interviews, such as his most BBC chat in May 2025, that have only propelled bad blood. Robert also revealed that the Duke of Sussex's recent trip to Angola, where Princess Diana went, also did nothing to sway the public on letting him back into the royal family. Prince Harry recently followed in his mum's footsteps walking through minefields in Angola and speaking to the charity Halo, who help clear them, something he also did in 2019. The royal expert said: "But the reality was that was a big deal then. "It wasn't a big deal this time around. So he's not got the same draw that he had. He must know that. When you've trashed your family and monetised it." Earlier this month, Meredith Maines, Meghan and Harry's chief of staff in California, and Liam Maguire, the head of their UK PR operation, met Charles's communication secretary Tobyn Andreae at the Royal Over-Seas League which sits just three minutes from Clarence House. The secret peace summit sparked rumours a reconciliation is in the works, but Prince William's team was notably absent. The Duke revealed in his bombshell BBC interview "life is precious" and "I would like to get my father and brother back". He reportedly hasn't seen Charles in years with his last direct communication with brother William coming in 2022. The feuding brothers reportedly didn't even speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. 6 Harry and Meghan made digs at the Royal Family in their 2022 docuseries Credit: NETFLIX 6 Most recently, Harry dropped some bombshells in his BBC interview Credit: BBC/Pixel8000
The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Meghan Markle keeps making veiled threats she has a secret royal bombshell… but her hints won't work, expert slams
MEGHAN Markle makes veiled threats hinting at a secret royal bombshell - but her plan won't work - an expert claimed. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has alluded to the fact she has "receipts" that could back up her allegations against The Firm since quitting the UK in 2020. 6 Meghan and Harry have hinted they're sitting on more allegations against the royals - but it won't matter, claimed a royal expert Credit: Getty 6 Jack Royston claimed Meghan has made "veiled hints" she has "receipts" over the years Credit: Getty 6 The expert said the couple "botched" their Oprah interview Credit: Reuters Harry and Meghan have repeatedly trashed the Royal Family, from their infamous 2021 Oprah interview, their In particular, They also alleged But royal expert Jack Royston sat down with The Sun's Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson and argued it wouldn't matter if the Sussexes did plan on dropping any more bombshells. Read More He told The Royal Exclusive show: "The problem is with the way Harry and Meghan piled in quite relentlessly on the royals. "Particularly, I do think the Oprah interview, they did botch it... it could have been done differently and better in a way that would be less toxic and destructive. "The racism allegation, they have clearly tried to change it retrospectively or row it back. "So, obviously, Meghan botched how she described that story. Most read in Royals "But there's always been this thing that Meghan's kind of intimated that she's got receipt, that was in the days after Oprah, one of her friends went on ITV and said, 'we've got the receipts to prove everything'. "There was also a point where she was giving an interview and she said 'I've never signed anything, so I can say whatever I want'. Harry's 'peace talks' have scheming Meghan's hand all over them, he looks lost in his sad little life "So, she's always had this tendency to give these kind of slightly veiled threats that she's sitting on this bombshell. "There was one point I think they suggested they'd found their diaries that they kept during these periods. "They've always been floating these ideas that they're sitting on a kind of a massive nuclear warhead that they can drop at any point." 'DESTROYED THEMSELVES' However, Mr Royston claimed the Sussexes have become "villains" in the UK - and aren't particularly popular in the US now either. He believed their lack of fan support would see any further allegations dismissed relatively rapidly. The expert added how he did not think any of the royals would be "scared" of any more digs. "Ultimately, they destroyed themselves by the way they basically relentlessly attacked Harry's own family in a context where no-one was fighting back," he continued. "And so, they may well still be sitting on unused material that Harry says he'll never share. "But it doesn't matter anymore because even if they did, they're so uniformly viewed as the villains, particularly in Britain, but even in America, they're not viewed in this protective way anymore. "So, even if they are sitting on some unexploded bombs, I don't actually think that the royals need to be too scared of it." Prince Harry and Meghan's £100million deal with Netflix SCRAPPED in 'huge loss of revenue' for couple By Clemmie Moodie , Assistant Editor, The Sun PRINCE Harry and wife Meghan's £100million deal with Netflix has been scrapped. The streamer will not renew their contract when it expires in September. The Sussexes and Netflix have mutually decided not to make an official announcement. But streaming execs have quietly agreed to part ways. It comes after It was also understood that bosses were mildly infuriated by Meghan making her As Ever brand a priority. A source said: 'The deal is done; no more shows will be made. 'Netflix feel they've got all they can from the couple. 'Netflix were clever in that they got a hell of a lot of viewers for the 'They're not unhappy with how things turned out — they got those initial hits, and produced one of the most talked-about shows of all time. 'The content got weaker from there on but, frankly, for £20million a year, anything was better than nothing. 'There's no animosity from either side. 'Things have just run their course. 'Netflix execs are well aware Meghan's priority now is her own brand, and they won't play second fiddle to that. 'Publicly, there will not be a statement and of course, if things change dramatically, they'd be open to a one-off project down the line. 'But for 'It's a huge loss of revenue.' Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is believed to remain on good terms with Meghan. The source said streamer Paramount+ was thought to be keen to work with the couple, who would be open to it if the right project came along. This comes after But it appears there will be Speaking on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, royal expert Robert Jobson said Prince Harry will have to Meanwhile, The Sun's Royal show asked viewers if they wanted to see the two reconcile, and a staggering 73% said no. Robert said: "I think it's too late. Too much has gone under the bridge, in my opinion. Too much water." Sky News royal editor She added: "The biggest issue for Harry and Meghan, is that an awful lot has been said. "The whole family kind of went under the bus, really, in the documentaries and in Spare. And there are lots of things that they cannot erase in terms of what's been said." Inside Prince William and Prince Harry's 'feud' TENSIONS have been running high in the royal family since Prince Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California with Meghan Markle. Their last reported interaction was during the funeral of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, but conversations were said to be brief. The feuding brothers reportedly did not speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. Growing up, Wills and Harry shared many of the same friends who were part of their close, tight-knit circle. But their relationship took a sour turn after Harry lobbed In the book, he claimed William had The Sussexes had also targeted Princess Kate, when Meghan claimed the royal made her cry. The bitter feud was ignited when the Sussexes told Oprah, in their It was later claimed the royals were Princess Kate and King Charles, after Harry and Meghan's former pal During the infamous Oprah interview, the duchess also made stinging comments about the Firm and how they Prince William and Harry's bond then worsened after the Sussexes made a number of accusations against the Royal Family in their 2022 Netflix docuseries. The duke has given subsequent interviews, such as his most BBC chat in May 2025, that have only propelled bad blood. Robert also revealed that Prince Harry recently followed in his mum's footsteps walking through minefields in Angola and speaking to the charity Halo, who help clear them, something he also did in 2019. The royal expert said: "But the reality was that was a big deal then. "It wasn't a big deal this time around. So he's not got the same draw that he had. He must know that. When you've trashed your family and monetised it." Earlier this month, Meredith Maines, Meghan and Harry's chief of staff in California, and Liam Maguire, the head of their UK PR operation, met Charles's communication secretary Tobyn Andreae at the Royal Over-Seas League which sits just three minutes from Clarence House. The secret peace summit sparked rumours a reconciliation is in the works, but Prince William's team was notably absent. The Duke revealed in He reportedly hasn't seen Charles in years with his last direct communication with brother William coming in 2022. The feuding brothers reportedly didn't even speak to each other despite standing 'virtually back to back' among mourners at their uncle's memorial service last year. 6 Harry and Meghan made digs at the Royal Family in their 2022 docuseries Credit: NETFLIX 6 Most recently, Harry dropped some bombshells in his BBC interview Credit: BBC/Pixel8000 6 The memoir Spare caused a major rift between the Duke and his family Credit: AP
New York Post
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Oprah Winfrey accused of closing her private Hawaii road during Tsunami evacuation
Oprah Winfrey's rep is shutting down rumors. A spokesperson for the philanthropist, 71, denied accusations that she kept the private road that runs through her estate in Maui closed as locals tried to escape following a Hawaii tsunami warning. 'As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened,' Winfrey's spokesperson told People on Wednesday. 'Any other reports are otherwise false.' 9 Oprah Winfrey in New York City. Getty Images They added, '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.' The Maui Police Department confirmed Winfrey's cooperation as well, writing in a statement, 'Oprah's road is open to get Upcountry.' 9 An aerial view of Oprah Winfrey's Maui home. © New York Post The Hawaiian island is also home to Woody Harrelson, Jeff Bezos and Owen Wilson. On Tuesday, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia's eastern Kamchatka Peninsula caused massive waves to reach Hawaii. By early Wednesday morning, a 4-foot wave was recorded off the island of Oahu, per the BBC. 9 This photo provided by the Maui Fire Department shows smoke from a fire burning in Kahikinui, Hawaii. AP According to CNN, another tsunami wave, over 5-feet high, was recorded in Kahului, while a 4.5-foot wave hit Hilo in Hawaii County. Residents in Hawaii, Japan, and parts of the California coast were told to evacuate. Hawaii's tsunami threat was downgraded to an advisory by Tuesday evening. 9 Oprah asks people to donate after the Maui wildfires. Instagram/Oprah At the time, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency director Stephen Logan reported that anyone who evacuated could return to their homes. Dave Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, further explained how tsunamis work. 'A tsunami is not just one wave,' he said, per the Associated Press. 'It's a series of powerful waves over a long period of time.' 9 Oprah and The Rock donate to Maui after the wildfires. Instagram/Oprah 'Tsunamis cross the ocean at hundreds of miles an hour — as fast as a jet airplane — in deep water. But when they get close to the shore, they slow down and start to pile up. And that's where that inundation problem becomes a little bit more possible there.' Snider added, 'In this case, because of the Earth basically sending out these huge ripples of water across the ocean, they're going to be moving back and forth for quite a while.' Winfrey first began to acquire land for her $60 million Maui pad in 2002. 9 Oprah Winfrey visited evacuees after the Maui fires. Instagram / @kakoo_haleakala The property has a private road that connects the Wailea coastal area to the Kula uplands. This isn't the first natural disaster to hit Hawaii in recent years. In August 2023, the state was affected by devastating wildfires. 9 Oprah Winfrey attends the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere Event for Hulu's 'The 1619 Project.' Getty Images Winfrey's house was not affected at the time. However, the author donated $10 million with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to relief efforts, but was met with fierce backlash when she asked the public to also contribute to the cause. Critics complained they were already living 'paycheck-to-paycheck,' and that celebrities should shell out more of their own dough. 9 Oprah Winfrey attends the 2023 AFI Fest. FilmMagic 9 Oprah Winfrey attends the 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves' party. Getty Images for Paramount+ 'Billionaire asking for money from the poor, what a joke,' one outraged fan commented on Winfrey's Instagram post. The Oscar nominee was shocked by the backlash. 'I was so excited about it, and then I got up the next morning, and I saw all of this vitriol, and I was, like, 'Whoa, what happened here?'' she told 'CBS Mornings.' 'It made me sad that we are at this state in our country.'
