TikTokers ordered to stay away from site of Kuala Lumpur sinkhole tragedy

Authorities in Malaysia have warned people against making TikTok videos near a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur that swallowed an Indian tourist last month .

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole on 23 August as she was walking to a temple in the city’s Masjid India district. A search and rescue operation to find her was officially called off over the weekend.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Rusdi Mohd Isa said officers have been deployed at the site where the ground opened up last month in the popular tourist shopping area.

“We don’t want the public visiting the sinkhole site to make TikTok content. Please stay away from the area,” he was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.

A second sinkhole appeared on Wednesday just 50 metres from where the woman disappeared, sparking public safety concerns.

“The site is under police surveillance and we urge people not to endanger themselves," the police chief said.

A search launched that same day for Gali was called off nine days later after the government reviewed the reports of the agencies involved in the rescue operation.

The search team used high-pressure jets of water to cut through debris to find the victim. While the Kuala Lumpur City Hall had placed over 100 sandbags around the exposed sewer lines to protect them from the disruptive flow of rainwater, the existing issues were dangerous enough already for the divers.

Police said Gali came to Malaysia with her husband and friends two months ago for a vacation. The accident occurred just a day before they were due to return home.

Kuala Lumpur’s mayor Maimunah Mohd Sharif has reassured the public of the city’s safety, stating that daily routines should continue unless evidence suggests otherwise. A task force has been established to assess the safety of structures around the sinkhole area.

"Throughout the incident, we did not direct any of the stalls to close, we only closed part of the area. People can still come and visit along the footpath," she said.