Germany has been heavily hit by floods this week, as was Belgium in almost its entirety. Western Europe is now feeling the wrath of Mother Nature and images from the two countries have been doing the internet rounds for days now, showing just how bad things can get when natural disasters get out of hand. BMW decided to try and help out as much as possible and has announced that it will be donating 1.5 million euros in emergency aid for people in affected regions.

The floods have wreaked havoc especially in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Upper Bavaria and responding fast is mandatory. BMW has therefore decided to offer its support in any way possible, to help out whoever is in dire need right now. “The scale of the disaster touches us all deeply. Our sympathy is with the people who have lost so much. We want to make a contribution to providing those affected with the most basic necessities,” says Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Human Resources and Social Affairs, and Labour Director.

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To this end, BMW will be contacting rescue organizations in the aforementioned areas, trying to provide help in the areas where it is most needed. In addition, the BMW Group plants in Munich, Landshut, Dingolfing, Regensburg and Leipzig will be providing emergency resources and manpower from their company fire brigades as soon, as the legally required request for support is received from the responsible authorities.

Heavy floods have affected not just Germany and Belgium but also parts of Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg in an event unlike anything people in this area have ever experienced. Even now, risk of further flood remains high as some regions are expecting even more rain this weekend. More than 150 people have been reported dead so far in Germany and the numbers are still rising.