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Rosie O'Donnell is the latest to weigh in on the conspiracy theories circulating on social media about the devastating Maui wildfires.
The comedian, 61, said she was "very distraught about all the information coming out of Maui and what looks like a lack of governmental response there."
Early last week, fires ravaged Maui in the state of Hawaii, with a death toll so far of 111 people and more than 1,000 injured, as well as causing power outages, mass evacuations and extensive destruction to the historic resort town of Lahaina.
A combination of dry conditions and strong winds from the passing Hurricane Dora spurred on flames making it the deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
Since the blazes broke out, people have shared a range of conspiracy theories about what caused the fires or prevented more immediate action to stem the devastating infernos.
Some people claimed part-time Maui resident and media mogul Oprah Winfrey allegedly started the fires in order to get more land for herself. While former NBA star Royce White, said he believed "energy weapons" or "something very military" caused the fires. As ever, the theorists have presented no evidence to support their claims.
Others on the ground in Maui have slammed authorities at Maui Emergency Management Agency for choosing not to sound warning sirens before the fires wreaked havoc on the island.
Elsewhere, other conspiracy theorists said the water to fight the fires had been switched off, when in fact there was a delay in diverting streams to fill reservoirs being made available to firefighters, due to communication issues.
O'Donnell posted her thoughts about the matter to TikTok.
"Obviously I'm very distraught about all of the information coming out of Maui and what looks like a lack of governmental response there, and I don't understand how the water got turned off. I don't understand that. I don't understand a lot of what happened there, and the death toll keeps climbing," she began.
"It's very depressing and terrifying. And there are people saying that there are these weapons that the government has started a fire and there's like a beam of light that comes down from these lasers that the satellite, I don't know. Sounds very conspiracy theories, but I'm not sure what's going on there."
O'Donnell concluded: "I just think it's very unnerving when you feel like the government isn't taking care of you or telling you the truth, you know."
O'Donnell's message about the wildfires came just one day after she shutdown online trolls and clarified her statements about former President Donald Trump's multiple indictments.
On Wednesday, she once again took to TikTok to discuss Trump's Georgia indictment where he and 18 others were charged in connection to an alleged criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results.
Trump denied his guilt and labeled the move by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis a politically motivated "witch hunt."
"Well, it's Monday night, [MSNBC's] Rachel Maddow is on explaining to everyone about the 10 indictments from Georgia, and he's in big s***," O'Donnell said. "He should get his trial, and then he should pay for his crime, should he be found guilty.
"It's a lotta evidence, Donald. A lotta evidence." O'Donnell continued, "I'm glad to see that the system works here in the United States and that no one is above the law. Not even a former president. Congratulations America. We survived."
Trump supporters flooded her comments, with one asking if she were ever planning to move to Canada, after wrongly believing O'Donnell had said she would make the move north if he was ever elected president.
"No tammy never said it—try n find a video of me saying it," O'Donnell responded on TikTok.
About the writer
Shannon Power is a Greek-Australian reporter, but now calls London home. They have worked as across three continents in print, ... Read more