Long term exposure to natural background radiation could cause gross abnormalities in individuals and at the population level. Studies conducted on the coastal Kerala population which is known to be receiving fifteen times the normal permissible dose of radiation support this. This study aims at understanding the deviations, if any, in the normal human variation as a result of such high natural radiation. A detailed quantitative and qualitative dermatoglyphic study was done on two communities i.e. Hindus and Christians, living separately in the radiation area. The significant differences were observed between control and exposed groups with regard to d-t ridge count, distances c-t and angle atd. The susceptibility of the axial triradius to environmental distrubances is discussed.