<p>A devastating debris flow hit Dharali and Harsil villages in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India during successive events in the afternoon on 5^th August, 2025. This sensitive region near Gangotri is a major stopover for tourists, with scenic landscapes. These devastating events resulted in 6 casualties, 74 people missing, including 11 army personnel, damaged the army helipad and National Highway (NH)-34 and caused significant damage to the infrastructure in the affected region. Approximately 20 hectares in Dharali were affected by debris flow sediments in the Khera Gad drainage. The drainages, being in proximity to the glaciated terrain, retain steep gradients and narrow valleys and are more susceptible to rapid flow events. Analysis of evidence from available sources and pre- and post-event satellite imagery was carried out to assess the preliminary causes of the successive events. By integrating the various available evidence and historical events, it can be inferred that the most possible cause is a combination of heavy precipitation, permafrost melting and/or increased meltwater supply from the lake that saturated the unconsolidated moraine sediments. Moreover, the topography and fragile geology, along with human intervention on the natural fan formed by earlier events, led to the incident becoming a hazard.</p>