I think taht this disaster is a prime example of how being selfcentered (like the US in this case), and being preoccupied with financial gain (Thaiwan), lead to excalated damages, beyond our immagination.
If you think of how many people could have been saved, if they had even as much as a SINGLE Hour warning... (not the 2 hours it took to reach many places)....
People could have fled the beaches. They could have reached 5 km inland where the destruction wasnt as severe anymore, they could have reached the safety of a hill/mountain.
Granted, boats out at sea, were probably doomed regardless, YET, if you know a little about sailing, you can at least prepare as best you can. Turn the bow towards the wave, lock down everything, lower the masts etc.... You would still be in for one "hellofa" bumpy ride, but you would be prepared, and according to my reconning, about 30% more boats would have made it.
AFAIK, most deaths were caused by people being sweeped away by the waves, if those people had even 20 minutes warning, and were told to get to high-ground, they could have made a run for it, they could have made sure that their children were together and made Some preparations....
I think there are a lot of deaths on those governments' guilty hands.
Granted, some places just had a VERY VERY direct hit, Sumatra, then Indonesia and Phuket.... but the rest of the coutries had more time to broadcast warnings, more time to prepare, if only they knew....
