MANAGUA, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The death toll caused by the tropical storm Stan has exceeded 500, Guatemalan Vice President Eduardo Stein told reporters on Sunday in the country's capital Guatemala City.

    About 3.5 million people have been affected as the storm cut off water and energy supply to many households, he said.

    Stein warns that mudslides could still occur throughout Guatemala, adding that nearly 90,000 people are staying in 280 shelters after some 6,000 houses were destroyed or damaged.

    The storm also damaged at least 5,000 kilometers of roads, thuscomplicating the delivery of aid supplies, he said.

    Stan has been one of the worst hurricanes that struck Guatemalaand the damage has surpassed that caused by Mitch in 1998, which killed 268 people and affected 700,000 others, said the vice president.

    Rescue work was suspended Saturday evening to avoid disease infections among rescuers as corpses and remains of animals continued to decay.

    Meanwhile, floods and mudslides triggered by Stan have killed 69 in El Salvador, 24 in Mexico, nine in Nicaragua, six in Honduras, and two in Costa Rica. Enditem