You are quite correct. In essence, this is another example of the value of the "It's what you know, not what you carry" theme that comes up time and time again in this forum.

Lacking good information, it is smart to be conservative, especially if the indicated moves are fairly painless. "Honey, I notice there is a tsunami alert on for today. Let's go to the mountains, rather than the beach. OK?"

Interestingly enough, every time there is a tsunami alert here in California, there are some people who will go down to the beach to gawk. Every now and them, someone gets killed (one fatality in this last event).