[Proud_texan]

Here's a first hand report from a swimmer in Sri Lanka. Very different from what's described in this article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26784-2004Dec26.html?nav=hcmodule

[chiller]

I'm not buying the preceding undertow idea, either, whereas the general rapid rise of water levels as described by the WaPost reporter --without large waves--makes more sense.

I can't imagine a tsunami creating a vacuum out in front of its path, which is what it would take to create an undertow, unless a huge wave pulled water from below, stacked it up high, creating room for an undertow.

Man oh man. Nature is mind blowing. Think of the force of a little 3 foot wave you've played in that's tossed you around and magnify it times a a million billion!