How much damage can an earthquake cause?

The answer is a lot. Especially when you consider factors such as the measured scale (the higher the stronger), the location (what type of soil is in the area) and the local infrastructure. To highlight this I have attached a satellite image showing the contrast between what was there before and after an earthquake. The area shown is the region of Qinghai, China. I have also added additional information from Google's Official blog. Normally I would say "Enjoy" after posting something to this blog but I will omit it for this once.

On Tuesday, April 13, a powerful 6.9 earthquake shook the province of Qinghai, China, resulting in widespread destruction and the loss of more than 1,700 lives. Working closely with GeoEye, we’ve been able to acquire some high resolution post-earthquake imagery, which vividly illustrates the magnitude of this tragic event.