MANAGUA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nicaragua remains on red alert as heavy rains continue to pummel the Central American country, the government said Friday.

The red alert will stay in place as a safeguard for families and to maintain vigilance in case of any emergent situation in the coming days, said Guillermo Gonzalez, codirector of the National System for Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters (Sinapred).

The heavy rains and floods have left 10 people dead, Vice President and presidential spokesperson Rosario Murillo said Thursday.

Gonzalez called on families not to take any risks in the face of the approaching rain. "In the Pacific, there are important levels of moisture, especially in the southern region, and because of this we will reman vigilant in the face of the approaching rainfall."

He also urged Nicaraguans to be watchful as the large amount of water could lead to flooding and landslides even though the sun has begun to shine.

"It is important to evaluate the state of houses, walls and roofs... there must be a lot of caution and avoid crossing riverbeds and streams to avoid a tragedy," Gonzalez said.

According to Sinapred, the rainfall is returning to normal levels for the rainy season of October. However, the proximity of a tropical storm will increase rainfall and affect areas of high humidity.

Sinapred said it will keep monitoring the situation closely.