Ravage

huge mess, ravage(s), debris Click to listen
[noun]
[de ra-va-ge, de ra-va-ges]

DomUtrecht "Ravage" is the mess resulting from destruction or demolition. Typically it is also used colloquially for a huge (physical) mess in general. Once a bookshelf topped over in my apartment; the result was a 'ravage'. So not necessarily there is real debris involved 🙂

Note that in 'ravage' the 'g' is pronounced as 'zj', as is the case with "lekkage".

Examples:
– "Moet je dat zien, wat een ravage!" – "Nou, ik vind het wel meevallen hoor." 
("Look at that, what an enormous mess!" – "Well, I don't think it's that bad actually.")

– "De inbrekers hebben niet alleen mijn sieraden gestolen, ze hebben ook nog eens een enorme ravage veroorzaakt!" 
("Not only did the burglars steal my jewelry, they also created a terrible mess!")

– "Na het bombardement was het centrum van de stad één grote ravage." 
("After the bombing, the city centre was in pieces." Lit. 'one big mess'. The word 'één' is emphasized to indicate that it was 'completely' in pieces.)

– "Toen de supporters het Museumplein in Amsterdam verlieten na de verloren finale, lieten zij een enorme ravage achter." 
("When the supporters left the Museumplein in Amsterdam after the lost final, they left behind a huge mess.")

Related words:
– Puin: debris [noun] [het puin, <no plural>].
– Puinhoop: heap of rubble [noun] [de puinhoop, de puinhopen].
Troep/zooi/bende: mess [noun] [de troep/zooi/bende, <no plural>].
– Chaos: chaos [noun] [de chaos, <no plural>].
Opruimen: to clear out, to clean up (mess) [verb] [ruimde op, opgeruimd].
Puinruimen: to sort things out, to clean up the mess [verb] [ruimde puin, puingeruimd].