We did that 60 years ago growing up in India. Temps in my town reached 115 F in summer regularly. Nothing new here.
My parents used a common practice in India to hang curtains in a door made of some fine roots of a tree. Water was sprinkled on the curtains and the breeze coming in cooled the air. The roots had a pleasant fragrant smell to boot. Afternoons were for relaxing, playing cards and siesta time.
The newscasters were doing it in Houston Texas 60 years ago, it is an old visual for TV, going back for generations.