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Firefighter George Ryan examines the sinkhole at Brian Road and Boston Road.

Heavy rains were causing flooding and sinkholes in many parts of Massachusetts Sunday.

Flooding prompted local and state police to close a number of roads and highways Sunday morning. On parts of Memorial Drive near the Longfellow Bridge, police were warning drivers to be aware of large puddles of water.

South of Boston, Mass. State Police reported that amps from Route 195 east and westbound were closed to Route 18 due to flooding. Route 18 itself had flooded in New Bedford, and police closed it between Route195 and Route 6, reopening the southbound side at around 12:30 p.m.

In Freetown, the ramp from Chase Road to Route 140 in was closed as well because of flooding.

Route 128 northbound near exits 13 and 14 in Westwood was closed earlier Sunday morning, and reopened before 9 a.m. after workers from the Mass. Department of Transportation cleared storm drains there.

In parts north of Boston, a large sinkhole had opened up on Boston Road in Chelmsford, causing police to close the road at Brian Road. The hole opened up where a culvert carries water from a stream underneath the road. The culvert gave way and began eroding sand underneath the road.

A utility pole also stood at the edge of the sinkhole, and a live gas main ran through it. Crews were able to stabilize the utility pole, and National Grid workers were on scene and shut the gas off.

The road in Chelmsford will remain closed for a few days as the sinkhole is fixed.

A smaller sinkhole had also opened up near 404 Wyman Street, causing police to shut part of that street for a brief time, and reopened it at around 10:45 a.m.