An uneventful Sunday afternoon quickly took a turn when tornado sirens sounded in North Platte.

According to the North Platte Police Department, a citizen called the 911 center and reported a tornado on the Southeast side of Lake Maloney at around 12:25 p.m.

Authorities say the National Weather Service confirmed the tornado and reported that the tornado was nearly stationary.

Because it was unknown which direction the cell would move, the sirens were sounded at Lake Maloney, as well as in the city limits of North Platte.

Police say dispatchers received numerous 911 calls from citizens asking why the tornado sirens were going off, and remind citizens that the sirens are only tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m.  They say any sirens sounded outside of this time indicate an emergency and should be taken seriously.

The high volume of 911 calls only compounds an already hectic time for the dispatchers and police say the congestion may keep someone with a real emergency from getting assistance.  They ask that 911 only be used in the event of an emergency.

The Weather Service says the landspout tornado was on the ground for a few minutes and there have been no reports of damage or injuries.

According to meteorologists, a landspout tornado is a tornado that is not associated with the mesocyclone of a thunderstorm.  They are typically shorter in duration and produce less damage than their supercell counterparts.

A storm near Anselmo also produced a funnel cloud on Sunday afternoon, but the Weather Service said it did not touch the ground.