Even as the threat of a tsunami swamping Hawaii had passed on Wednesday, social media posts were still circulating claims that Oprah Winfrey had refused immediate access to a private road that would allow residents a shorter evacuation route.

Winfrey has assured fans that she opened up her private road in Hawaii "as soon as" she heard the tsunami warnings.

The billionaire media mogul opened a road on her property, giving people a route to evacuate from coastal areas to higher ground, Hawaii officials said.