A Co Monaghan woman has described how she was dramatically rescued from deadly floods in South Africa's Kruger National Park.
Kim McNaughton is training to be a field guide at a safari lodge near Phalaborwa in Limpopo.
But last week, large parts of the region were hammered by heavy rain, causing several rivers to burst their banks and many lower-lying areas to become flooded.
The Olifants River adjacent to Ms McNaughton’s lodge rose exponentially last Tuesday, cutting off the lodge from the outside world.
"There were 18 of us at the lodge," she explained. "On the Wednesday night, there was a knock - a bang - at the door telling us we had to evacuate. The river was coming in and we could hear furniture being slammed against the walls."
Initial attempts to get out of the area on foot and by jeep were unsuccessful.
A nearby bridge had been swept away and the mud became so thick that the group got stuck.
They decided they had to move to higher ground.
"Survival mode just kicked in. We had to get to the top of a hill behind the lodge. That was all we could think of," Ms McNaughton said.
In a location famous for its wildlife - including lions, elephants and rhino - the group began climbing in pitch darkness and pouring rain.
"We were only carrying what we had on our backs. But this area was open Kruger. And we were unsure of what we were going to find," she explained.
"Thankfully, we were the only ones on the hill. There was no wildlife," she added.
Eventually, after waiting in the darkness for two hours, an air force helicopter arrived and began ferrying the group to safety, three at a time.
Over the past week, the scale of the devastation in Limpopo has become apparent, with at least 19 deaths reported and many homes destroyed.
Reuters video footage showed vast areas submerged under fast‑flowing water, with only treetops visible above the floods and hippos swimming between them.
Speaking to RTÉ News from a lodge outside of the flood-hit area, Ms McNaughton said: "Right now, I’m just so grateful, so happy, that we made it out. Unfortunately, many lives have been lost and the rescue teams are still searching.
"I’m really grateful but also devastated at the damage the floods have caused to the whole area."
Flooding in southeastern Africa has become more frequent and severe as climate change fuels more powerful storms.
Torrential rain and flooding has also hit Mozambique and Zimbabwe in recent days, leaving thousands of homes damaged and tens of thousands of people facing evacuation.
Watch our video to hear Kim describe her rescue in her own words
