The international airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened Friday afternoon after a volcanic eruption temporarily grounded flights, stranding thousands of tourists. Ngurah Rai airport began operating around 2:30 pm local time, about 12 hours after it closed in response to Mt. Agung belching smoke and ash. A change in wind direction pushed the ash away from Balis international gateway, allowing flights to resume, an airport official said. "The airport will operate for 24 hours straight to get flights back on schedule," he added. The early morning closure sparked the cancellation of more than 300 flights to and from the tropical paradise with nearly 27,000 passengers affected, according to the airport. About 400 local residents living near the rumbling volcano -- about 75 kilometers from Balis tourist hub of Kuta -- moved to evacuation centers. A striking orange-red glow could be seen at the top of Agungs crater after it shot plumes of thick smoke some 2,000 meters into the sky Thursday evening. The volcano last had a major eruption in 1963, killing about 1,100 people.