To ruin many or all things over a large area, such as most or all buildings of a city, or cities of a region, or trees of a forest. Or, destroy a whole collection of related ideas, beliefs, and strongly held opinions. Break beyond recovery or repair so that the only options are abandonment or the clearing away of useless remains (if any) and starting over. Ruin that is shocking, not only showing that something was not indestructable, but also that it was in danger and could and would be assailed
devastate or ravage; "The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion"
If something devastates an area or a place, it damages it very badly or destroys it totally. A few days before, a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle. = ravage, wreck