A SELF-PROCLAIMED ‘engineer’ who went viral on social media for building an elaborate tunnel system underneath her house has been forced to stop by officials.
Kala was told her project needed “an immediate evaluation by a professional engineer” over fears it could cause a sinkhole.
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The 37-year-old woman from Virginia confirmed to her followers in one of her recent TikToks that people “from the city” had asked her to stop.
However, Kala is confident that she will be able to restart her excavation soon.
Speaking to her viewers, Kala said: “Fortunately, contrary to rumours here, it is constructed entirely below the slab of my house and it shouldn’t be too hard to get the permits and approval.”
The town of Herdon – where Kala resides – reached out to her after it received a possible violation notice.
A town representative told Fox News Digital: “The town is working with the property owner to correct any violations and ensure that the property is safe and in compliance with the code.”
Kala has amassed a whopping 540,000 followers and gained over 5million likes on TikToks.
Her videos which gathered millions of views show her step-by-step process of building the tunnel underneath her house.
Since starting the project in October 2022, Kala has posted more than 75 videos and started a YouTube channel to document it.
The most popular video on her page, a “recap” of her past year of work, racked up over 7.5million views.
Despite Kala being a self-proclaimed “engineer” she does not hold a license.
She studied business and science and works in information technology.
“It doesn’t take much for me to pick up a skill,” Kala told NBC News.
Kala also known on social media as “Tunnel Girl” has spent a whopping $50,000 on her 30-foot-long tunnel.
When asked by reporters what she intended to use the tunnel for, Kala said: “I wouldn’t say doomsday bunker, because I’m not really a prepper or concerned about that kind of thing at all.
“I just thought it would be neat to have like a little protective shelter area.”
Viewers were quick to comment on Kala’s tunnelling with people shocked, amazed and concerned by her project.
One user wrote: “Welp, I’m fully invested.
Do we have a goal, or are we just expressing ourselves through tunnelling?”
Another jokingly commented: “I love this but I think therapy is cheaper.”
Others criticised Kala’s work and questioned its safety with one TikTok user writing: “This series feels like underground OceanGate.”
Another added: “Didn’t an old man do this and cause a sinkhole in the road that killed someone.”
Nonetheless, Kala says she isn’t “concerned about safety or structural stability”.
She told NBC: “For the most part, 99.9 per cent, everything has gone according to plan and according to my engineering
“There have been a few very, very minor mishaps.”
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