India, April 11 -- Tornado sirens sounded in Minnesota and Wisconsin at 1:45 p.m. CDT on Thursday and will sound again at 6:45 p.m. CDT as part of a drill for Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed.

"The Severe Weather Awareness Week annual tornado drill will take place on Thursday the 10th at 1:45pm in Minnesota & Wisconsin and again at 6:45pm," NWS said in an alert.

"Local sirens & other notification methods may be used, in addition to alert signals via NOAA Weather Radio by the National Weather Service. This will be a great time to practice your readiness plan with your family!"

The first drill is aimed at institutions and businesses, while the evening drill targets second-shift workers and famil...