Tsunami waves have begun hitting Hawaii after a major 8.8 earthquake near the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. In Hawaii, people have been urged to find higher ground, and as people fled in their cars, claims about Maui resident Oprah Winfrey began spreading online. Claims about her not opening up her private gate to help people get to higher grounds left many furious. Now, the former talk show host has responded.

Oprah Winfrey has come under heavy fire on social media after claims about her not opening her private road on her Maui estate after people began evacuating in Hawaii following the tsunami warning on Tuesday.

The powerful 8.8-magnitude undersea earthquake off the Russian eastern coast triggered tsunami waves, with the first hitting Hawaii late on Tuesday.

Tsunami waves were also recorded on California’s northern coast early Wednesday. In Russia, near the epicenter of the earthquake, several buildings were damaged. One kindergarten collapsed, but luckily, no injuries were reported.. Meanwhile, state media TASS declared a state of emergency.

CNN reported water rushing between buildings, sweeping away large debris and damaging industrial infrastructure. Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, was also hit by tsunami waves. More than two million people across 21 prefectures were under localized evacuation advisories shortly after the tsunami warning. As of now, no reports about casualties have been reported.