npj Natural Hazards, Published online: 17 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s44304-026-00211-w A recent study by Dandabathula et al. attributes the 5 August 2025 Dharali disaster to an ice-patch collapse based largely on satellite imagery. Here, we examine remote sensing and process-attribution uncertainties in that interpretation. The proposed mechanism by Dandabathula et al. lacks spectral validation, geomorphic consistency, volumetric support, and geophysical corroboration. Available independent observ