I didn't get the sense they were making fun of anything, but rather making a poignant comment.
"Flattened" (not flat) is a word in common used in the media describing places that have taken a serious blow like this. They'll probably get more accurate as more information is available (if they don't forget all about it.) "Gone" is another word in common use that also may not be 100% accurate if taken 100% literally. It's shorthand or soundbites that attempt to describe the extent of the damage compared to other places. And maybe a bit of drama.
I think most people, or at least anyone who is interested in these places and travels there, understand the forest is not literally "gone" but will grow back, a lot of it quickly. In the short term, if someone uses the word "gone" to describe lots of trees down and I imagine things pretty much exfoliated, big whoop. It's perhaps inaccurate, but "stupid, mean-spirited, nonsense?" Sheesh.