The water measured four feet on Saturday afternoon Credit: Veronica Dilsworth

The damage can clearly be seen in Veronica's hallway Credit: Veronica Dilsworth

Rats like this one quickly moved into the garden of the abandoned house (stock photo)

A distraught flood victim, forced to evacuate her family home, has told Independent.ie that she fears invading rats will come up her toilet.

Veronica Dilsworth from Cloyne Road, Middleton in Cork left her home last Friday night amid rising flood waters.

"There's €200,000 worth of damage done to our home where we have lived for 17 years.

"When we went back the next day I was disgusted to see many, many rats down at the end of the garden.

"I'm not prepared to go into any of the bathrooms for fear that the rats could come up through the toilets," she said.

Veronica said the home was built on her parent's land and therefore has a strong sentimental meaning to her.

"My husband has been up and down to the house as we are still waiting on a pump.

"There has been a delay as the pumps are currently in the Castlemartyr area and they cant physically be transported to our house," she said.

She said that her children have been adversely affected by the family's recent upheavel.

"I have three children, Leanne (20), Ryan (16) and Alex (11).

"They are all upset about what's happened for different reasons.

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"Nearly all of their clothing has been destroyed," she said.

Veronica described how slurry mixed with flood waters to form a murky liquid that has caused extensive damaged to the property.

"The sewerage tank outside our house erupted and drowned into the soil.

"That slurry water then came up through the toilets and drains, into the house."

She admitted that the ordeal is taking its toll on both her and her husband.

"Both of us are struggling to cope.

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"He's trying to be there for me and I'm trying to be there for him.

"We've been married for 13 years. He had a kidney transplant so I fear for him being in the flood waters," veronica said.

Veronica and her family had no idea initially that the waters would prove to be so catastrophic for her family's home.

"On Friday evening the water began gushing into the drive.

"We had no time to pack a bag, we just made a decision on the spot.

"We'll have to take serious precautions next year, I'm certain we'll never get flood insurance again," she said.

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