Drone Strike on Iraqi Gas Field Cuts Power to Most of Kurdish Region

A drone strike on a major gas field in northern Iraq has caused a large fire and cut electricity to most of the region. The attack happened on Sunday night at the Khor Mor gas facility in the Kurdish region, leaving more than 70 percent of the area without power.

leaving more than 70 percent of the area without power= 現在分詞引導的結果狀語，表示襲擊發生後造成該地區超過70%陷入停電的直接後果。

The explosive drone hit gas storage units, forcing the facility to suspend production. Regional officials said the shutdown knocked between 2,500 and 2,800 megawatts of electricity generation off the grid. As a result, gas supplies stopped flowing to power plants that serve several major cities, including Erbil and Sulaimaniyah.

off the grid= 脫離電網，指該數量的發電量中斷並無法進入主要電力傳輸網絡。

To keep essential services running, the regional electricity ministry began operating hydroelectric stations and backup plants that use alternative fuels. Officials explained that these backup systems will supply electricity to critical places such as hospitals and water treatment facilities while workers deal with the outage.

To keep essential services running= 置於句首表示目的的不定詞片語，在敘述採取的行動前先強調其維繫必要公共服務運轉的目標。

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said that no casualties were reported in the strike, based on an initial assessment. The government has formed a joint committee to investigate the attack. It remains unclear who launched the drone, and no group has claimed responsibility.

claimed responsibility= 新聞常見的固定搭配，指組織或團體公開承認該攻擊事件是自己所為（宣稱對襲擊負責）。

學習筆記

文法整理

句型	意思
leaving more than 70 percent of the area without power	現在分詞引導的結果狀語，表示襲擊發生後造成該地區超過70%陷入停電的直接後果。
off the grid	脫離電網，指該數量的發電量中斷並無法進入主要電力傳輸網絡。
To keep essential services running	置於句首表示目的的不定詞片語，在敘述採取的行動前先強調其維繫必要公共服務運轉的目標。
claimed responsibility	新聞常見的固定搭配，指組織或團體公開承認該攻擊事件是自己所為（宣稱對襲擊負責）。

詞彙整理

單字	意思
casualties	在戰爭或軍事行動中受傷、死亡、被俘或失蹤的人員。
critical	對人、事物或作品的缺點、錯誤加以挑剔，並加以指出的
outage	物品在儲存或運輸過程中損失的數量，例如酒或石油的損耗量。
shutdown	停止運作；停擺，尤指機器、系統、機構或服務停止正常運轉的情況。
suspend	把某人暫時停職、停學，或暫停其參與某項活動的權利

延伸學習

•能源報導中常出現的「the grid」指整體供電網絡，而「knock ... off the grid」生動描述了突發事故導致特定發電量瞬間脫離電網、造成供電中斷的情況。
•英文新聞常使用以「-ing」開頭的現在分詞子句（如「leaving more than 70 percent...」）置於句末，用來緊湊地補充事件發生後的直接後果或影響。