Reply #17: Apparently, our scientists tried their best

[allemand]

"Scientists at the center in Hawaii tried to alert officials in the region with what few contacts they had, said retired Canadian researcher Tad Murty, who is familiar with the scientists' efforts.

"They tried to raise the alarm every possible way," Murty said. "The problem was with the countries in the Indian Ocean: Nobody really responded, and nothing much was done about it." "

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-sci-warnings28dec28,1,3809480.story?coll=la-headlines-world

I think the blame probably lies with mid-level government bureaucrats in the region who failed to act:

"We knew something would be hitting us" (Dr R S Dattatrayam, director (seismology) at India Meteorological Department).

Tsunami caught the govt napping
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/971639.cms

Knowing the way burocracy works in these countries, this doesn't surprise me at all. My all-time favorite story is Indonesian police failing to defuse a live bomb in their own headquarters because the message got stuck in the chain of command.

On edit

This thread proves my point about mid-level government officials being responsible in Thailand:

Swedish newspaper: Tsunami warning was stopped
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1104420