Two Lebanese Ministers Resign After Explosion In Beirut

Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad and Environment Minister Demanios Kattar have resigned their postion in the Lebanese cabinet after the explosion in Beirut that caused the death of hundreds of people.

The Ministers listed the reasons for their resignation to be the explosion in Beirut, general governmental failure among other shortcomings of the government.

The Prime Minister  Hassan Diab had previously met with some other Ministers to prevent a mass resignation of cabinet members serving in his government.

The resignation of seven or more of the 20 ministers would essentially force the cabinet to step down and remain as a caretaker government. 

So far four members of the Lebanese parliament also announced they would step down, joining another four who announced their resignations before Parliament is set to convene later in the week.

Protesters descended on the parliament area Sunday afternoon and clashed with security forces, who fired tear gas and chased demonstrators through downtown Beirut.

They took to the streets following the blast, blaming it on corruption and mismanagement by the nation’s ruling class.
A massive explosion had on August 4 occurred in Beruit Lebanon’s capital killin at least 154 people  and no less than 5,000 people injured.

The explosion was reportedly caused by approximately 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a port warehouse for six years.

The blast had to inflicted $15 billion worth of damage, the authorities had also said.