[Grammar] Usage of prepositions 'with' and 'by'

[northpath]

There are two sentences:
The road was blocked WITH a massive snowdrift.
The ancient city was devastated BY the 1995 earthquake.
Why in the first sentence is used the preposition ‘with’ while in the second one ‘by’?

Thanks in advance.

PS I can’t remember where I got the sentence The road was blocked WITH a massive snowdrift from. So I can’t guarantee it’s correct.

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker.

I'd use "by" in the first one. I'm interested as well.

 

[Raymott]

I expect that they were written by different people. I'd use 'by' with the first sentence.

 

[SoothingDave]

I expect that they were written by different people. I'd use 'by' with the first sentence.

Me, too.

 

[engee30]

northpath, if a person is implied or involved in making something to happen intentionally, then you'll normally use the preposition with; otherwise, it'll be by, e.g.

The driver was hit with a bottle (someone used a bottle to hit him)
The driver was hit by a (flying) bottle. (someone threw a bottle and it hit the driver, possibly accidentally; the driver may not have been the target)