"Looky Lous" expecting a small show and some excitement without a clear idea of what is out there. Underestimation always fits in these stories. Conditions do vary in the Pacific. A large quake may not trigger anything or under the right conditions, a serious record breaking tidal wave. The other problem is that tidal waves move at the speed of a jet and are not obvious until they get to shore. The Greenland one swamped the beach and a few structures and no one was hurt, but staying around to see the show is not a good idea.