devastation

Etymology

From Middle French dévastation.

noun

1. The act of devastating, or the state of being devastated; a laying waste.
   Perhaps as startling as the sheer toll was the devastation to some of the state’s well-known locales. Boardwalks along the beach in Seaside Heights, Belmar and other towns on the Jersey Shore were blown away. Amusement parks, arcades and restaurants all but vanished. Bridges to barrier islands buckled, preventing residents from even inspecting the damage to their property. October 31 2012, David M. Halbfinger, “New Jersey continues to cope with Hurricane Sandy”, in New York Times, retrieved 2012-10-31
2. (law) Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or administrator; devastavit.