"Herndon's 'Tunnel Girl': Viral Digging Project Sparks Emojis, Backlash, and Shutdown"

Kala, a software engineer from Northern Virginia, gained social media fame as "tunnel girl" for her project of building a storm shelter beneath her home, documented on TikTok. Her videos, which show the progress of her self-taught engineering work, have attracted millions of views, heart emojis, and controversy. After a neighbor's complaint and a joke about using dynamite, Herndon officials halted the project pending safety and code compliance checks. Kala, who has taken on major home improvements before, has stopped posting updates due to the increased scrutiny and safety concerns. Despite the town's intervention, her followers continue to express support and curiosity about the project's completion.