The New York Times - Gauging Disaster: How Scientists and Victims Watched Helplessly

The New York Times article, January 2, 2005 (Registration required.)

While the infrastructure for tsunami prediction existed, and could relatively easily have been adapted to the Indian Ocean, it had not been so adapted, and tens of thousands died. This New York Times article traces what happened in the scientific labs, and the frustrations of knowing a disaster was unfolding without the ability to warn those to be affected.