Tsunami Warning Was Stopped

Wizbang ^ | December 28, 2004 | The Nation

[Lijahsbubbe]

Would not want to be the meteorlogical experts who made that decision and live the rest of life with more than 60,000 deaths attached to it.

[WestTexasWend]

Sounds like the French rationale for letting the panzers drive down the Champs Ellise.

[TomGuy]

the experts started to discuss the economic impacts when they were discussing if a tsunami warning should be made.

That is typically the theme of every disaster movie Hollywood ever made. I always thought the premise was shallow; but I guess not. Reality meets Hollywood.

[expatguy]

Im finding all this more and more interesting.

Not only did people know of the possibilty of a tsunami at the USGS and not warn people, but Thailand also knew?

Something sounds really fishy about this whole thing. I mean since when did Thailand's meteorologists start moonlighting as volcanologists?

More on the the Frantic Tsunami Warnings that No One Heard

[airborne]

Our department would not be able to endure a lawsuit...

So they are blaming trial lawyers?

[Melpomene]

They could have at least gotten them off of the beaches and away from the coastline, or off of the ground floors of their hotels.

[beyond the sea]

But they decided not to warn about the tsunami "out of courtesy to the tourist industry"

Amity Island (Jaws) politics! (Don't tell them about the shark. Don't close the beaches....... it's the season.)

This is despicable.

[TomGuy]

My guess is that there was not enough time to do anything anyway. Less than an hour is not much time to communicate info like that to such a wide area.

The waves went inland approximately 2 miles, per some reports. Had 'visitors' been given even 30 minutes of warning, they could have traveled to a much safer area in that amount of time.

Many of the deaths were families strolling along beaches and playing in the water. They were there on vacation.

[pennyfarmer]

The hotels were 100% booked full. What if we issued a warning, which would have led to an evacuation, and nothing had happened. What would be the outcome? The tourist industry would be immediately hurt. Our department would not be able to endure a lawsuit...

Oh yeah people would have been saved.

News Flash
If they are dead they can't spend money.

Must all be economics majors.
(Nothing against economics majors.)

[joesnuffy]

Scapegoats of the Empire

[dighton]

Death in Venice

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Also, the experts believed the Indonesian island Sumatra would be a "cushion" for the southern coast of Thailand. How altruistic.

[beyond the sea]

My guess is that there was not enough time to do anything anyway. Less than an hour is not much time to communicate info like that to such a wide area.

I have to disagree. They could have easily gotten many people away from the rising waters in many resorts and other beach-side areas.

Of course there were many isolated islands, etc. that would never have gotten the word, but the word SHOULD have been spread! This was partially a man-made tragedy.

[pennyfarmer]

Not to get off topic but must be the same way the left believes Israel will be a cushion for terror.

[beyond the sea]

My first thought, exactly.

Great minds.... ;-)

*****

I can still see the mayor trying to fluff off the bad news and Richard Dreyfuss fuming.

It is exactly the same thing, on a much bigger scale!

[pennyfarmer]

If I can't save my Brother why save my Mother?????

[Dave S]

Our department would not be able to endure a lawsuit

What makes them think that they wont be sued for NOT giving the warning and for a LOT more?

[liberallarry]

And what if global warming turns out to be real? What if the worst-case scenarios about environmental destruction and species extinction are real? Aren't the arguments against protective measures totally economic?