These legends depict global flooding, usually sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution.

He threatens to destroy the spice melange, thus making transport between the planets impossible and effectively destroying civilization.

They have destroyed civilizations and created new ones.

Under such a scenario, even if a civilization that created such machines were to disappear, the probes could outlive their creators, destroying civilizations far into the future.

For eons, it destroyed civilization by civilization.