Shimla, July 5 -- Heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh. Disaster caused by torrential rains have claimed 69 lives, 110 people are reported injured and 37 are still missing since June 20. The state has already suffered damages worth Rs.700 due to cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides. Seraj and Dharampur areas of Mandi district suffered the extensive damage. A rain triggered landslide damaged a retaining wall in Jeevanu Colony of Kasumpti Ward in Shimla on Friday. The debris from the wall fell on the roof of a nearby building, following which the district administration evacuated the building. The two families living in the building have been shifted to safe place, the officials said, adding that three other buildings have also been affected. The road has been blocked due to the landslide. The restoration work is underway. The road had already developed cracks for quite some time. Funds were also sanctioned for the formation of a culvet but the monsoon arrived before the construction work could be started. Kasumpti ward councillor Rachna Sharma said that a landslide has occurred in Jeevanu Colony. A retaining wall has collapsed here, the debris of which fell on the roof of a house. After which this building was evacuated. She said that due to the landslide, three other buildings are in danger, but the area has been covered with tarpaulin to protect the buildings. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that the state has suffered a loss of Rs.700 crore due to ongoing monsoon fury. Briefing the media, Sukhu said, "The state has suffered a loss of Rs.700 crore so far due to the rain-related calamities and cloudbursts. Roads, electricity infrastructure and drinking water supply schemes have been severely impacted. All cabinet ministers were conducting review meetings in their respective departments to assess the extent of the damage." "I had a telephonic conversation with Union home minister Amit Shah regarding the damage in the state. The home minister has assured full support and a central team would be visiting the state to assess the situation," said chief minister, adding that: "The state government has decided to provide Rs.5,000 per month as house rent to affected families whose homes have been damaged and who are living in rented accommodation." He said that the concerned SDMs have been directed to provide food supplies to the affected people. In Mandi district alone, 402 people have been rescued as part of relief operations. He said that 14 cloudburst incidents have been reported in Mandi district alone this monsoon season. The chief minister said that nearly 300 roads were currently blocked in the state and 332 power transformers have been affected, out of which 164 are in Mandi district. NDRF and SDRF teams have reached several villages in Thunag and were actively engaged in relief and rehabilitation efforts. Former chief minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Friday examined the disaster hit areas and distributed rations. "Our priority right now is to evacuate the stranded people and search for the missing people. All the teams are working in coordination and they have been asked to work by taking constant feedback from the local people," Jai Ram said. "I am monitoring the relief works being carried out," said Jai Ram, adding that on Friday he spoke to chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and requested him to visit Thunag to mull upon a solution to overcome this disaster. The India Meteorological Department's(IMD) Shimla office on Friday said that heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is expected in Himachal Pradesh from July 5 to 9. Predicting peak intensity of rain on July 6 and 7 during July 5 to 9 spell, IMD has sounded a red alert (most vigil) of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall for July 6 in Kangra, Sirmaur and Mandi districts, while an orange alert has been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Solan, Shimla and Kullu districts. "Light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places very likely over plains, mid hills and adjoining high hills of the state during July 5 to 9, with peak intensity on July 6 and 7. Isolated spells of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall are also likely over plains and adjoining mid hills from July 6 to 7. Isolated thunderstorms and lightning are also likely over plains and mid hills of the state from July 5 to 8," IMD said in a statement. On July 5, an orange alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall has been sounded in Kangra and Mandi districts and for heavy rainfall in Chamba, Sirmaur, Shimla and Kullu districts. According to MeT department officials, the orange alert of heavy to very heavy showers will continue on July 7 in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla and Kullu districts. Meanwhile, heavy to very heavy rainfall alert has been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts on July 8 and for heavy rainfall in Hamirpur, Kangra, Chamba, Solan and Kullu districts. During the last 24 hours, heavy rainfall was observed at isolated places while light to moderate rainfall was observed at many places in the state. The highest rainfall of 7 cm was recorded in Aghar, followed by Sarahan (4 cm), Shimla (4 cm), Nagrota Surian (3 cm), Karsog (3 cm), Mandi (2 cm), Berthin (1 cm), Baijnath (1 cm), Dharamshala (1cm) and Jogindarnagar (1 cm). Amid heavy rains in Uttarakhand, two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel drowned in a swollen lake in Bhimtal, officials said on Friday. Prince Yadav (22) from Pathankot and Sahil Kumar (23) from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, were part of a group of eight IAF personnel, including four women, vacationing in Nainital, circle officer Pramod Shah said. Locals joined the police in the rescue operation to pull Yadav and Kumar's bodies out of the lake after a struggle that lasted for almost an hour, he added. The rains which have been battering the state have affected daily life with the closure of more than a hundred roads across the state, disrupting the Chardham yatra and causing food grain shortages in some villages in the Geeth area of Uttarkashi district. The highway to Yamunotri has been blocked for the past five days ever since a massive landslide hit the shelters of construction workers at Silai bend, leaving nine people missing and washing out a 12-metre stretch of the road. The Alaknanda river is in spate from Badrinath up to Rudraprayag. The water level of Mandakini has also been on the rise for the last threedays, with its banks submerged under water. The administration is making announcements through loudspeakers, alerting people living close to its banks. The waters of a lake formed by an overflowing Yamuna river at Syanachatti in the Barkot area of Uttarkashi have begun to inundate houses and hotels located close to its banks, officials state....