Ranchi, Oct 7 (IANS) Eight people died and two others were wounded by lightning in three districts of Jharkhand, police said Tuesday.According to police, four people died in Ranchi and two each in Gumla and Godda districts. On Monday evening Jharkhand witnessed rainfall in many parts of the state. The first incident took place in a village of Mandar block in Ranchi district.

Another incident was in Anjana village of Gumla district, around 160 km from Ranchi. Lightning struck a tree under which three people had sheltered from the rain. Two people including a woman died. Lightning also killed six animals of the village.

The third incident took place in Chirona village of Godda district, around 500 km from Ranchi on Monday night.

Two major lightning strikes have taken place in the last one and a half months. On Oct 3, five people died in Mandar block of Ranchi and nine in Pakur district on Aug 28.

This year lightning has claimed 62 lives in the state. In 2007, the total number of deaths due to lightning were 68.

The Jharkhand government has written to central government to include lightning in the list of natural calamities.

According to an official of the disaster management department of Jharkhand, Rs.100,000 will be paid to the families of those who have died due to lightning.