Oprah Winfrey took immediate action during Hawaii tsunami warning; all ‘blocked road' reports are false
A spokesperson for Winfrey has stated that the claims circulating online are not true at all.In a statement, the spokesperson said that they got in touch with the local law enforcement as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make sure the road was opened 'as soon as we heard the tsunami warnings.' 'Any reports otherwise are false.'
'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,' it added.
Also read: Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Bullock: Celebs houses under threat after tsunami alert in the US
Oprah Winfrey came under fire on social media
The statement from Oprah Winfrey's spokesperson comes after several angry users accused her on social media of refusing to make the private road available at any point in time to help in evacuating the people, despite reports about heavy traffic on the island.
The tsunami warning, which was issued overnight by the authorities, prompted widespread evacuations as people tried to reach higher ground across the Hawaiian island.
Soon, rumors started doing the rounds on the internet, suggesting that the residents were not being allowed to pass through a private, gated road that remained a part of Winfrey's property.
Also read: Tsunami advisory issued for US West Coast: Key safety tips you must know
Several photographs and videos from the region had also gained significant attention on social media. In one particular video, a person could allegedly be seen in his vehicle outside Winfrey's property, while the local police guarded the area.
"Come on Oprah, save us," the person can be heard saying in the video, Fox News reported. On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the evacuation order was lifted for the coastal inundation zones. 'We will continue to monitor in Hawaii, Alaska, and California,' she added.
FAQs:
Why was the tsunami warning issued?
It was triggered by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia.
What's the latest on tsunami warnings?
As per CNN, these have now been downgraded to advisories.
Which regions were affected in the US?
The tsunami waves had reached US shores overnight, including parts of Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Totally out of control': Trump calls for prosecuting minors amid Washington crime concerns; threatens to take federal control
US President Donald Trump (Image credits AP) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to place Washington, DC, under federal control, claiming the city's crime is 'totally out of control' and urging that minors as young as 14 be prosecuted as adults. His comments came the same day the FBI released new data showing a nationwide drop in violent crime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, 'Crime in Washington, DC, is totally out of control. Local 'youths' and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released.' While sharing a photo of a critically injured youth from a recent violent incident involving local teenagers, Trump claimed the victim had been 'beaten mercilessly by local thugs,' though he did not provide specific details about the case. 'The Law in DC must be changed to prosecute these 'minors' as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14,' he added. Trump also suggested that if city leaders fail to act, he would move to federalise the capital. 'They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it's going to happen now! If DC doesn't get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run,' he said. Trump's remarks directly contradict the FBI's annual crime report, released earlier Tuesday. According to the report, cited by NBC News, violent crime in the US fell by 4.5% in 2024, with significant declines in murder, robbery, rape, and aggravated assault. Property crime and hate crime rates also saw drops compared to 2023. The report draws from data submitted by over 16,000 law enforcement agencies, covering 95% of the US population. FBI Assistant Director Timothy Ferguson noted during a media briefing that although crime is down overall, violent and property crimes still occur regularly. Trump has frequently made crime a central theme in his political messaging, often portraying American cities as lawless. At a campaign event near Detroit last year, he said, 'You can't walk across the street to get a loaf of bread. You get shot, you get mugged, you get raped,' according to NBC News. While crime remains a contentious political issue, particularly in major urban areas like Washington, DC, recent federal data indicates that overall trends are moving in the opposite direction of Trump's claims.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Lebanese government pushes for army plan to disarm Hezbollah by year-end
Last Updated: Beirut, Aug 5 (AP) The Lebanese government asked the national army on Tuesday to prepare a plan in which only state institutions will have weapons in the small nation by the end of the year, a move that aims to disarm the militant Hezbollah group. The announcement by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, after a nearly six-hour Cabinet meeting, came shortly after Hezbollah's leader said his group would not disarm and warned that the Iran-backed faction would resume missile attacks on Israel if military operations against them intensify. Salam said the government asked the army to have the plan ready by the end of the month for discussion and approval. The government's move came as Beirut is under US pressure to disarm the group that recently fought a 14-month war with Israel and was left gravely weakened, with many of its political and military leaders dead. The decision followed a July visit by US envoy Tom Barrack, who called for a more decisive policy to disarm the Iran-backed group. On Tuesday afternoon, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem rejected calls for his group to lay down its weapons, speaking as the government was meeting to discuss the group's disarmament. Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah officials have said the group will not discuss its disarmament until Israel withdraws from five hills it controls inside Lebanon and stops almost daily airstrikes that have killed or wounded hundreds of people, most of them Hezbollah members. Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rebuild its military capabilities. Israel's military has said the five locations in Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel, where about 60,000 Israelis were displaced during the war. Since the ceasefire, Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for one attack on a disputed area along the border. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Kassem said Hezbollah rejects any timetable to hand over its weapons. 'Israel's interest is not to widen the aggression because if they expand, the resistance will defend, the army will defend and the people will defend," Kassem said. 'This defence will lead to the fall of missiles inside Israel." Since the war ended, Hezbollah has withdrawn most of its fighters and weapons from the area along the border with Israel south of the Litani river. Last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated calls for Hezbollah to give up its weapons, angering the group's leadership. The ceasefire agreement left vague how Hezbollah's weapons and military facilities north of the Litani river should be treated, saying Lebanese authorities should dismantle unauthorised facilities starting with the area south of the river. Hezbollah maintains the deal only covers the area south of the Litani, while Israel and the US say it mandates disarmament of the group throughout Lebanon. Kassem said Hezbollah rejects a government vote over its weapons, saying such a decision should be unanimously backed by all Lebanese. 'No one can deprive Lebanon of its force to protect its sovereignty," Kassem said. Hezbollah's weapons are a divisive issue among Lebanese, with some groups calling for its disarmament. Before the Cabinet meeting ended, two ministers allied with Hezbollah walked out of the session in what appeared to be a show of opposition to the decision. The Israel-Hezbollah war started a day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack against Israel from Gaza. It left more than 4,000 people dead and caused damage worth USD 11 billion. (AP) RC view comments First Published: August 06, 2025, 02:00 IST News agency-feeds Lebanese government pushes for army plan to disarm Hezbollah by year-end Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'These people do it naturally': Trump says undocumented workers are born to toil in fields; floats legal reentry plan for deported migrants
US President Donald Trump (Image credits: AP) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, while speaking about the impact of his administration's immigration policies on the agricultural sector, claimed undocumented migrants are more 'naturally' inclined to perform hard labor — a statement that many have condemned as racist and dehumanising. During an interview with CNBC, addressing the impact of his immigration policies on American agriculture, Trump acknowledged the difficulty farmers are facing in finding labor amid ongoing deportation efforts. 'We can't let our farmers not have anybody,' he said. He suggested that, while deportations would continue, some undocumented farm workers might be allowed to return legally under a 'touchback' plan. 'In some cases, we're sending [migrants] back to their country with a pass back in legally.' 'These [are] people that you can't replace them very easily — you know, people that live in the inner city are not doing that work. They're just not doing that work. And they've tried — we've tried, everybody tried. They don't do it. These people do it naturally, naturally,' he added. Trump also recalled a recent conversation with a farmer about the physical demands of the job. 'I said, 'What happens if they get it — to a farmer the other day — what happens if they get a bad back?' He said, 'They don't get a bad back, sir, because if they get a bad back, they die.' … You know, in many ways they're very, very special people.' The remarks come as the White House continues to wrestle with how to address the agricultural sector's reliance on undocumented workers without angering immigration hardliners. Officials are reportedly exploring ways to expand the H-2A visa program to year-round agricultural industries like dairy. But that change would fall short of covering the estimated 320,000 undocumented farm workers already in the US, reported Politico. Proposals like the touchback program are also drawing criticism from immigration hawks who oppose any form of legal return or special carveouts for specific industries, viewing them as a slippery slope toward amnesty
