Jordan: King Abdullah II accepts resignations over deadly floods

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has accepted the resignations of two ministers in the aftermath of the deadly floods that struck the country’s Dead Sea region last month.

In a decree, the king accepted the resignations of Tourism Minister Lena Annab and Education Minister Azmi Mahafzeh, according to a statement issued by the Jordanian Royal Court on Sunday.

On Thursday, Annab announced that she would leave her post via Twitter.  

“In light of the current political and general climate, and the painful time our beloved country is going through, I have handed in my resignation today as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and I will be leaving it to the Prime Minister to do what he deems fit. May God bless Jordan and its great people under the honorable Hashemite leadership,” the minister said.

In another decree, the Jordanian monarch appointed Justice Minister Bassam Samir Talhouni as acting education minister and Minister of State Majd Shwekeh as acting tourism minister.

The resignation of the two ministers came as a result of popular and parliamentary pressure on the government after the floods disaster, which killed at least 21 people and injured dozens.

Most of those killed were students and teachers whose bus was swept away by the floodwaters during a school trip.

Late last month, the Jordanian government admitted responsibility for failure to deal with the flash floods.