https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/67EB/production/_113830662_beirut_panorama_976.png
[image credit](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53668493)

We can't say because it is a new year, we shouldn't talk about the previous year or evaluate a few events. One hashtag went viral on August 4, 2020 and that was the #prayforlebanon. The hashtag went really viral as a result of an explosion that got viewers very scared compared to what the victims felt. A warehouse in Bierut, Lebanon caught fire and detonated a large amount of Amonium Nitrate weighing about 2700 metric tons. The Explosion was so massive about 6 miles wide from the warehouse in the port destroying properties, causing the death of about 200 people and injuring thousands.

Let's not forget that Lebanon was facing a very dire financial crises before the explosion with a lot of people losing their jobs and becoming unemployed, and the poverty rate increased. Citizens of Lebanon had been protesting for a change. Let's not also forget that Lebanon has been battling in the past for supremacy between the christians and the muslims. The war ended with each of the religion holding political offices with the Maronite christians, the Shia and Sunni muslims also holding offices. With the president being a Maronite, the Prime minister a Sunni and the Speaker a Shia.


https://static.euronews.com/articles/stories/04/24/84/60/808x454_cmsv2_ce89d2e2-ef06-5325-a6ee-7184dad52500-4248460.jpg
[image credit](https://images.app.goo.gl/r9ff8YjCdKFSPbPp8)

Although the political system in Lebanon has been shared, it still remained corrupt no matter which sect or party that was rulling. This has caused an economic meltdown in the country and the country running into debt. Although, a lot of countries has offered tto give bailouts if the country is ready to restructure its political system but there have been no positive result.

The Blast of the Amonium Nitrate has also been blamed on the government saying there have been a debate over which sect is responsible for handling the dangerous material. The Amonium Nitrate has been sitting at the port since 2013, but nothing was done to it. Beirut is Lebanon's major port and lebanon is a high importer of necessities. With the blast, the Lebanon government is finding it hard to currently meet with its citizens needs as they needed to be imported into the country.

###### You can read more about Beirut

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53668493

https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/beirut-explosion/

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/12/13/sectarianism-helped-destroy-lebanon-economy/