I was thinking, something like the Maeslantkering in the rivers could perhaps have blocked the surge going so far inland. But then I suppose if that worked that would've already done that.

Thankfully I have no experience with Earthquakes and I hope I never will. The footage in this seems terrifying, I'd fear the building would come down the whole time.

This, and the coverage of the great floods in Zeeland about 70 years ago this year.. I don't know if Japan could've prepared for this somehow, I don't know if Dutch dikes would ever have stopped any of that.