Evacuations were ordered by the Maui Emergency Management Agency due to an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and impending tsunami. Social media falsely attributed delays to Oprah Winfrey, accusing her of blocking access to a private road. Viral posts characterized her as unhelpful, spurred by significant public concern during evacuations. Winfrey's spokesperson clarified that she does not own the road, which belongs to Haleakalā Ranch. The misinformation continued despite acknowledgment that the road was eventually opened, with claims of public pressure not substantiated by evidence.
Maui Emergency Management Agency issued evacuation orders for all people in coastal areas to move inland to higher ground due to an imminent tsunami threat.
Social media posts inaccurately claimed Oprah Winfrey was refusing to open a private road for evacuees during the crisis, stating she was making evacuations more difficult.
The road in question is actually owned by Haleakalā Ranch, not Oprah Winfrey, countering claims that she was solely responsible for its access during evacuations.
After social media criticism, Nick Sortor remarked that the road had been opened later but mentioned it was due to 'intense public pressure,' a statement unsupported by evidence.
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