As I gather it, the ocean receded, sucked from the shore by a silent vacuum beyond the horizon. Then suddenly, like an aggressive wet dog, it ran back and trampled over everything. So impolite. So unwanted. The sea rose up and reminded people of where life comes from in the first place, and it took a few of its decendents with it. Well, in each of those countries, the people will be replaced. In fact, the number of human deaths matches the loss of a few grains of sand on the beach, already returned. How valuable are we as a species? Why do we call mass death a cataclysm but ignore the problems created by mass birth? We live in a world of increasing anonymity and insignificance, yet we make such a big deal out of some people we don't know. Caring might help if it lasted. It might spread education, level ignorance, decrease our numbers and increase our value. But we'll forget as we rebuild, and build more, and continue to bury the Earth under reconstituted bits of itself: plastic, concrete, rust and man.