04-02-2013, 02:51 PM
I'm surprised that there is little mention of the 23 students and 4 teachers killed by the 1946 tidal wave in Laupahoehoe. Two successive tidal waves struck without the loss of life. Seeing the receding water, school children went out on the beach to collect stranded fish. It was then that the third wave came in, estimated to be between 30 and 50 feet high. They were all dragged out to sea. There is a monument to them in Laupahoehoe Point Park.
The incredible amount of video footage of the 2011 Japan tsunami shows many, many people caught in the path of the waves. As well-prepared as they were, many Japanese waited too long to move to higher ground (if it was available). The speed of the surging water is incredible, and the massive amounts of debris it carried would crush a person trying to swim to safety. Of course there were situations where there wasn't enough time (or mobility), but many more could have escaped. You not only need to plan your escape before disaster strikes, but also consider escape routes being blocked.
The incredible amount of video footage of the 2011 Japan tsunami shows many, many people caught in the path of the waves. As well-prepared as they were, many Japanese waited too long to move to higher ground (if it was available). The speed of the surging water is incredible, and the massive amounts of debris it carried would crush a person trying to swim to safety. Of course there were situations where there wasn't enough time (or mobility), but many more could have escaped. You not only need to plan your escape before disaster strikes, but also consider escape routes being blocked.