Vietnam flood death toll rises to 13, with 11 others missing

The death toll from the heavy floods in central Vietnam has risen to 13, the government said on Friday, as residents of the flooded Hoi An started clean-up operations.

HOI AN, Vietnam — The death toll from heavy floods in central Vietnam has risen to 13, the government said Friday, as residents of the flooded city of Hoi An started cleanup operations as the water levels began to subside.

Floods set off by record levels of rainfall have inundated a large swath of central Vietnam over the past days, with the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital Hue and Hoi An the worst hit.

Photos circulating on state media showed that much of the two locations remained under floodwater, with some houses submerged up to their roofs.

Vietnam is prone to often deadly storms and flooding that cause widespread property damage, especially during the storm season from June until October.

This aerial picture shows floodwaters inundating streets and buildings in Hoi An on Thursday.Nhac Nguyen / AFP via Getty ImagesIn Hoi An, a well-preserved ancient town that was once a bustling Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries, floodwaters began to recede Friday.