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Tsunami Warning Was Stopped
Wizbang ^ | December 28, 2004 | The Nation

Posted on 12/29/2004 6:47:34 AM PST by 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...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: sumatraquake; thailand; tsunami
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To: RedBloodedAmerican; GRRRRR

Impressive.


61 posted on 12/29/2004 7:22:10 AM PST by Melpomene
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To: beyond the sea
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.
62 posted on 12/29/2004 7:22:19 AM PST by jwpjr
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To: Damifino

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?


63 posted on 12/29/2004 7:22:27 AM PST by Twinkie
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To: Melpomene
Boneheads! There ought to be a way to figure out how to give them an honorary Darwin Award for this whopper.
64 posted on 12/29/2004 7:23:42 AM PST by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: beyond the sea
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."
65 posted on 12/29/2004 7:24:17 AM PST by pennyfarmer (A whole lotta people need some killin. (Not the babies))
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To: jwpjr
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 $$$$.

66 posted on 12/29/2004 7:25:07 AM PST by beyond the sea (A man who says he can see through women is missing a lot.)
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To: beyond the sea

Time to cast the movie!


67 posted on 12/29/2004 7:25:23 AM PST by SlowBoat407 (Couldn't you have stopped shooting at us and watched your baby grow instead?)
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To: Melpomene
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.

68 posted on 12/29/2004 7:26:56 AM PST by Radioactive
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To: pennyfarmer
"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.

69 posted on 12/29/2004 7:27:01 AM PST by beyond the sea (A man who says he can see through women is missing a lot.)
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To: Melpomene
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.

70 posted on 12/29/2004 7:29:10 AM PST by Paco
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To: beyond the sea
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?????
71 posted on 12/29/2004 7:31:25 AM PST by pennyfarmer (A whole lotta people need some killin. (Not the babies))
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To: SlowBoat407
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.

72 posted on 12/29/2004 7:32:15 AM PST by beyond the sea (A man who says he can see through women is missing a lot.)
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To: beyond the sea

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

a perfect answer


73 posted on 12/29/2004 7:34:39 AM PST by gortklattu (As the preacher in Blazing Saddles said "You're on your own.")
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To: Melpomene

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


74 posted on 12/29/2004 7:37:25 AM PST by montag813
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To: Melpomene

"The hotels were 100% booked full"

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


75 posted on 12/29/2004 7:37:32 AM PST by fastattacksailor (The US without the UN is like not having your mother-in-law with you on your honeymoon)
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To: Melpomene

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


76 posted on 12/29/2004 7:38:16 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Melpomene
Our department would not be able to endure a lawsuit...

Mass death caused by fear of litigation.

77 posted on 12/29/2004 7:38:49 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (My doctor gave me celebrex, bextra, serevent,,,,said quit smoking. I threw out the drugs...)
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To: beyond the sea

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.


78 posted on 12/29/2004 7:39:05 AM PST by SlowBoat407 (Couldn't you have stopped shooting at us and watched your baby grow instead?)
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To: beyond the sea
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.

79 posted on 12/29/2004 7:39:05 AM PST by Lijahsbubbe
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To: Melpomene


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.


80 posted on 12/29/2004 7:39:26 AM PST by Rebelbase (Who is General Chat?)
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