The regional meteorological department has predicted similar weather to continue on Saturday as well. The eight people who were killed include a woman and her mother-in-law, at Goaltore in West Midnapore.
The other six were from places including Arambagh in Hooghly, Nanoor in Birbhum and Mongalkote in East Burdwan.
They received severe burn injuries after being struck by lightning and were declared brought dead when taken to hospital. In most of the cases, the victims were working in agricultural land or passing through an open space, when the incidents took place.
The report of the death of eight persons reached the state secretariat, Nabanna, at around 7.30 pm. The state government is also taking all measures to support the victims' families.
However, the rainfall has given respite to the people of South Bengal from the high humidity and scorching heat of the sun. Besides temperature, the humidity was also sky high for the past two days. The minimum and maximum temperature on Saturday will be around 25 and 32 degree Celsius and the humidity will also be low.
It may be mentioned that the state Disaster Management department has introduced a system, through which officials up to Panchayat level get prior alert on lightning. It is helping to save lives of many people, as they are getting information about the place where lightning would strike at least 45 minutes ahead of the incident.
Comment: Elsewhere in India 7 people and 20 sheep were killed by lightning in the state of Andhra Pradesh.