The "damage radius" is the average distance from the earthquake epicentre to the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VI isoseismal contour. Intensity values are a measure of the level of ground shaking at a specific location. MMI VI is the level that masonry buildings might begin to take some damage depending on the construction and local soil conditions. The isoseismal contours outline areas which experience a given level of shaking or higher and are based on reports submitted to Geoscience Australia or other agencies. The amount of shaking from an earthquake can be affected by factors such as the depth of the earthquake and the local geology. Whether a building becomes damaged or not will also depends on the quality and type of the construction. These factors are not taken into consideration in the calculation of the damage radii, so these radii are approximate and should only be taken as a very rough guide to the area that would experience damage by an earthquake