TROPICAL depression “Ester” (international name: Gaemi) intensified slightly as it headed slowly to southern Taiwan, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa said in its 11 a.m. advisory that Ester was 275 kilometers (km) north-northwest of Basco, Batanes as it packed stronger winds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) and stronger gusts of up to 100 kph.