Early thaws and heavy rains cause wide damage in Vermont as many rivers become ice-choked and overflow, carrying the huge cakes into city streets, crushing bridges and damaging hundreds of automobiles. Vermont The thawing ice making the river water's rise, knocking some bridges out. MS - The backs of three men as they stand by river's edge watching the water. MS - Ice jams piled up on the shoreline. MS - Cars pushed together due to the ice coming up on the shore and crushing some automobiles under tons of ice. MS - Cars in a parking lot crushed by the flooding and rising ice flows.