By Khanh Vu

HOI AN (Reuters) -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 as the water levels began to subside.

Floods triggered 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 flood water, 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.

In Hoi An, a well-preserved ancient town that was once a bustling South

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