BEIRUT, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- A loud explosion occurred in a Christian region in eastern beirut on Friday evening, Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel reported.

    The blast occurred at 9:45 pm (1845 GMT) at the Rizk commercial centre in a Christian village of Brumanna, 20 kms east of Beirut, causing some casualties, witnesses said.

    Brumanna is a popular destination for Gulf Arabs who come for holiday. The Rizk commercial centre contains a branch of the Mediterranean Bank, which belongs to the family of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri who was killed in a car bomb attack on Feb.14.

    Lebanon has plunged into a political turbulence since the assassination of Hariri, which the opposition has said the Syria-backed authorities should be responsible for.

    The Friday night blast is the fourth bomb attack in Christian areas in two weeks.

    More than 10 people were injured last Saturday when a car bomb explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, which came after two other bomb attacks in Lebanon in earlier days, during which two people were killed and more than 10 injured. Enditem