I would think otherwise. If someone were taking a video with the camera pointed at the water, and saw as he was recording the water quickly receding, if that person knew this was a sign of a tsunami, they could have quickly ran away from the shore with their camera. While most at the beaches had no clue of the signficance of the water receding, surely at least a few of them did, and fled inland.
I almost cried when I saw that photo. Couldn’t help imagining the emotions of those at the shore when the water sucked out. First, the amazement. Then, immediately after, the realization of what must be about to happen. The panic. And then…