Many people have criticised and accused the country’s leaders of culpability for the explosion through their alleged negligence and corruption.
LEBANON’S entire government has resigned amid a public outcry over the catastrophic explosion that rocked the Port of Beirut on August 4.
According to a report by news broadcaster the BBC, the announcement was made in a national TV address by Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Monday evening.
Recently, many people have criticised and accused the country’s leaders of culpability for the explosion through their alleged negligence and corruption.
According to reports, protesters have taken to the streets and clashed with police for a third straight day.
The massive blast was caused by the detonation of 2 750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port for years, according to the BBC.
According to the latest reports, the death toll from last week’s explosion has risen to 220, with 110 people still missing and more than 6 000 wounded.
The blast has left more than 200 000 people homeless or living in homes with no windows or doors, reported the BBC.
Diab, who was appointed prime minister in January after months of deadlock, said his government had “gone to great lengths to lay out a road map to save the country”.
However, he said that corruption in Lebanon was “bigger than the state” and “a very thick and thorny wall separates it from change; a wall fortified by a class that is resorting to all dirty methods in order to resist and preserve its gains”, he said.
Diab called the explosion a catastrophe and said those responsible must be held accountable.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, Lebanese police fired tear gas to try to disperse rock-throwing protesters blocking a road near parliament in Beirut on Sunday as part of anti-government demonstrations triggered by last week’s explosion.
Meanwhile, international leaders joined a virtual donor conference led by France and the UN in the aftermath of the blast, pledging nearly $300 million in humanitarian assistance that will be “directly delivered to the Lebanese population”.
– African News Agency (ANA)
