Oprah Winfrey draws backlash for private Hawaii road closure

Oprah Winfrey breaks silence on the ongoing controversy involving private Hawaii road amid tsunami evacuation.

The former talk show host got criticized for allegedly keeping the Maui road closed during the emergency situation.

However, the 71-year-old cleared the air.

Her spokesperson clarified, “As soon as we heard the tsunami warnings, we contacted local law enforcement and FEMA to ensure the road was opened.”

“Any reports otherwise are false,” the statement further read.

“Local law enforcement are currently on site helping residents through 50 cars at a time to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Moreover, it was also made sure that ‘the road will remain open as long as it is necessary’.

The Emmy winner’s statement also got verified as the Maui Police Department confirmed her claim, “road is open to get Upcountry.”

For the unversed, Winfrey owns multiple homes in Montecito, Calif., Tellurid, Colo. and also in Maui.

She began buying the land in Maui in 2002.

For the unversed, tsunami alerts were made as Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula got hit by 8.8 earthquake Tuesday.