Faulty equipment, poor communications and cumbersome bureaucracy were blamed today for the failure of nations around the Indian Ocean’s rim to warn of one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters.

ASIAN officials conceded yesterday that they failed to issue broad public warnings immediately after the massive undersea earthquake in Indonesia, which could have saved countless lives from the subsequent giant waves that smashed into nine countries.

Asian officials conceded today that they failed to issue broad public warnings immediately after a massive undersea earthquake in Indonesia, which could have saved countless lives from the subsequent giant waves that smashed into nine countries.