> Has anyone considered that the problem was not detecting the tsunami (we
> knew about it before it hit) but rather communicating that fact to all the
> people likely to be affected?
> 
> How about skywriting rockets? Russell?

Frankly, I think the best thing to do would be to inspire fear of the ocean, or
of something in the direction of the ocean, or to inspire a strong desire to
get to something inland.  For example, simulated (or real) gunfire and
explosions on the beach.  Or perhaps rumors or announcements from
helicopters or whatever that free food (or something similar) will be
distributed
for the next 30 minutes at the soccer stadium (which happens to be 2 miles
inland).

Drawback:  People WILL die in a stampede either from a perceived threat or
toward a perceived reward.  Benefit:  More people would probably be saved
than would die.

Of course, the ideal solution is to have warning sirens and lights and speakers
in all public places which are loud enough to be heard indoors in all but the
heaviest of buildings, but for a once in 120 years event, getting a populace to
know what these sirens mean and respond accordingly is almost impossible.
And a system like that might cause a stampede anyway.

Mike H.
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