Tsunami Warning Was Stopped

Wizbang ^ | December 28, 2004 | The Nation

[Melpomene]

Just minutes after the earthquake in the Indian Ocean on Sunday morning, Thailand's foremost meteorological experts were sitting together in a crisis meeting. But they decided not to warn about the tsunami "out of courtesy to the tourist industry", writes the Thailand daily newspaper The Nation.

The experts got the news around 8:00 am on Sunday morning local time.

An hour later, the first massive wave struck. But the experts started to discuss the economic impacts when they were discussing if a tsunami warning should be made. The main argument against such a warning was that there have not been any floods in 300 years. Also, the experts believed the Indonesian island Sumatra would be a "cushion" for the southern coast of Thailand. The experts also had bad information; they thought the tremor was 8.1. A similar earthquake occurred in the same area in 2002 with no flooding at all.

...We finally decided not to do anything because the tourist season was in full swing. 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...

[Melpomene]

Impressive.

[jwpjr]

Maybe if nothing else they could have prevented some of them from going down to the seashore to observe the drawing away of water from the shoreline, in some cases as far as the eye could see. Seems to me a lot of people died simply because they were among the curious who flocked to the beach to see what was going on. I certainly can't blame them, I would probably have done the same thing, not being knowledgeable about the ways of these killer waves.

[Twinkie]

You KNOW this? Halliburton has an interest in the tourist industry there? You might be surprised who has an interest in the tourist industry there and would be that cynical. Anyone know?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Boneheads! There ought to be a way to figure out how to give them an honorary Darwin Award for this whopper.

[pennyfarmer]

Pointing out the fact that others on this post are saying in effect. "Why try to get the word out if we can't reliably tell everyone."

[beyond the sea]

Seems pretty hard to believe now, 30 years removed from the experience, but I can attest to the existence of such thinking.

I believe you, but this is 2004.........computers, email, many more lawsuits, etc.

Something SHOULD have been done for some of those people. With today's incredible communications, many could have been saved.

But, I hear you about the mighty $$$$.

[SlowBoat407]

Time to cast the movie!

[Radioactive]

Our department would not be able to endure a lawsuit

This says it all.

Kill the lawyers.........courtesy of Shakespear.

Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. ....Jesus Christ.

[beyond the sea]

"Why try to get the word out if we can't reliably tell everyone."

Oh, I think I understand. But that kind of thinking is lame, imo.

[Paco]

The real tragedy is that even IF they warnings had been issued, very few people would have left. Look at the images being shown...you see the ocean coming in and people just stop and stare...until it knocks them over.

The need to watch a disaster in the making is unreal. Many people are not able to properly identify life threatening conditions and suffer the consequences.

[pennyfarmer]

I think its lame also that why I attempted to put the point in a simple sentence.

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

[beyond the sea]

Time to cast the movie!

Right, well since:

The earthquake was actually a cold, cruel, heartless scheme brought to fruition by Karl Rove and the callous George Bush to distract attention from the investigation of evil Republican election shenanigans in Ohio.

The brilliant Rove even figured that after the socialist lackeys at the U.N. accused the U.S. of being too cheap and frugal, unwilling to raise taxes higher to collect tsunami bucks, he, Rove, could then come down on the inept U.N. and the 'oil for food' debacle. Two birds with one stone. What a guy, that Karl Rove. (sarcasm off please)

So there is going to have to be a good casting director to find an actor to play Karl Rove. You work on the other characters.

But seriously, there will be at least one movie about this, most likely a dozen.

[gortklattu]

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

a perfect answer

[montag813]

DON'T SEND A SINGLE PENNY--IT WILL ONLY GO TO THE RESORT OWNERS

[fastattacksailor]

"The hotels were 100% booked full"

Now the morgues are 100% full.......

[Buckeye McFrog]

Thailand is a top destination for "alternate lifestyle tourism". Guess a Tsunami warning would have opened them to charges of gay-bashing?

[Smokin' Joe]

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

Mass death caused by fear of litigation.

[SlowBoat407]

I think you've got something there, and I'll wait outside until you clean it up. (apologies to G. Marx).

I think Michael Moore needs to head in there NOW and start shooting. He can make up a storyline later.

[Lijahsbubbe]

With today's incredible communications, many could have been saved.

I agree. If nothing else, those inside hotels watching TV could have alerted those on the beach. Lives would have been saved.

[Rebelbase]

Are there any confirmation sources to this story? It orginates from a blog which claims it is a translation from another site.

I am skeptical until I see confirmation from other sources.