Tourists' naked photo shoot atop Malaysian peak blamed for major earthquake as locals claim nudity angered 'mountain spirits'
- Ten holidaymakers stripped on the south peak at Mount Kinabalu
- Photos emerged on the internet four days before a major earthquake
- About 130 climbers are believed to be trapped on the mountain
By Chris Kitching for MailOnline
Published: 5 June 2015
Locals who believe in the supernatural have blamed a group of cheeky tourists for an earthquake that has left more than 100 climbers stranded atop Southeast Asia's highest peak.
The holidaymakers posed for a series of nude photographs and were accused of urinating as they scaled Mount Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah.
According to Malaysian media, there are some locals who believe the 6.0-magnitude tremor was caused by 'mountain spirits' who were angered over the crude photo shoot which occurred high above the clouds.
The holidaymakers posed for a series of nude photos on Mount Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah
The photo shoot occurred May 10, but the images didn't circulate on social media until last Saturday
Located on the island of Borneo, the 13,435-ft peak has protected status within a national park and is considered a sacred site by Sabahans, The Star reported.
Photos showing the tourists stripping at the Unesco World Heritage Site caused outrage in Malaysia, with their tour guide claiming they broke away from the main group and ignored his requests to keep their clothes on.
Ten male and female tourists – believed to include two Canadians, two Dutch and a German – allegedly called their mountain guide 'stupid' and told him to 'go to hell' as he escorted 27 holidaymakers, The Malay Mail reported.
The men were completely nude, while most, if not all of the women were topless in the photos.
They were snapped on the mountain's south peak on May 10 and didn't make the rounds on social media in Malaysia until Saturday.
A tour guide claims the cheeky tourists broke away from a larger group and told him to 'go to hell'
Photos showing the cheeky tourists stripping at the Unesco World Heritage Site caused outrage
Park officials have identified five of the 10 climbers and given their names to police for investigation.
It's the latest example of a growing trend that sees tourists get naked at major tourist attractions, including Machu Picchu in Peru and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, for keepsake photos.
Yesterday's earthquake struck near the town of Ranau and has left about 130 climbers stranded on Mount Kinabalu, with unconfirmed reports of one or two fatalities.
A spokesman for Sabah Fire and Rescue told Reuters climbers from 16 countries had been on the peak, including 117 Malaysians, 38 Singaporeans, five Americans, four Dutch, three British, two French and two Australians.
Dozens are stuck on the mountain because a small landslide has cut off the mountain's usual route.
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