UPDATE - Lebanese finance, justice ministers resign after blast

UPDATE WITH RESIGNATION OF FINANCE MINISTER

By Zehra Nur Duz, Ali Abo Rezeg and Safiye Karabacak

ANKARA / BEIRUT (AA) - Two more Lebanese ministers resigned on Monday amid growing public anger following massive explosions that struck the Beirut Port last week, according to local media.

The resignations of Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm and Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni came a day after Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad and Environment Minister Damianos Kattar stepped down.

Six lawmakers have also resigned from the 128-member parliament in protest over the massive explosion.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Talal Hawat and Displaced Affairs Minister Ghada Chreim said in today’s Cabinet meeting that the government's resignation has become “inevitable."

Two massive explosions rocked the Beirut Port last Tuesday after a neglected stockpile of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse there ignited.

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical substance often used to make bombs and commonly used in fertilizer. Terrorism has been ruled out as a probable cause of the blasts.

The blasts rocked Beirut to its core, registering 3.5 on the Richter scale and shattering buildings miles in the distance. At least 158 people lost their lives, approximately 6,000 were injured and 300,000 have been left homeless.

Lebanon was already in crisis, plagued with severe financial and economic problems and ongoing deep corruption.

Protesters have taken to the streets with violent anti-government demonstrations for the past two nights, storming official buildings and clashing with police.