RESEARCH ARTICLE March, 2011 PSYBER NEWS Vol. 2,No.2, 2011 Prasad Psycho Corporation ISSN No. 09760709 PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG THE SURVIVORS OF NATURAL AND HUMAN MADE DISASTERS Subhasis Bhadra Abstract: Aim of the study was to examine impact of natural and human made disasters on self-reported psychological distress. Self-reporting questionnaire SRQ , Impact of Event Scale-Revised IES were administered to people affected by earthquake n=150 and riot n=150 . Result revealed that survivors of human made disaster were more distressed than survivors of natural disaster. World Health Organization (1992) defined disaster as complete breakdown of ecological and psychosocial balance and exceeds the coping capacity of the affected people or community, hence need external support to revitalize. psychological imbalance or distress is context specific therefore, it is assumed that distress will vary with the context of sufferings. This study examined psychological distress of natural and human made sufferers. Natural disaster: Psarros et al., (2002) observed psychological distress one month after an earthquake. The psychological sufferings were not only restricted to the initial damage rather the long standing effect on survivors. Aleola (2009) reported various psychosocial problems and deterioration in the quality of life among survivors after Katrina. Both life-event stress (discrete changes) and chronic stress have been strong predictors of survivors' health outcomes reported by Norris (2005). In India, the psychosocial issues of the survivors have been studied in details in Marathwada earthquake, in Orissa super cyclone and also in Gujarat earthquake. Agashe (2004) reported the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the affected group was 139 per thousand, whereas it was 68 per thousand in control group in Marathwada earthquake. Following Tsunami studies using Impact of Event Scale, Self reporting questioner showed very higher psychological distress among the survivors who had higher exposure, loss and difficulties in rebuilding (Sekar, 2006; Sasha, 2007). Sekar (2004) reported among the survivors of Orrisa cyclone, “feeling unhappy and being nervous,” “tensed and worried” was observed in more than two third of those screened. This is followed by