The United States has been providing 14,450 tons of food aid to Haiti, as an emergent supply for 1.2 million people for two weeks, said U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The food aid, which includes 7,000 tons of rice, 4,550 tons of corn soy blend and 3,000 tons of vegetable oil, said USAID, will be distributed by the U.N. World Food Program and private voluntary organizations, said USAID.

The assistance is valued at about 18 million dollars and is to be transported in multiple shipments, with the first shipment to leave in the next few days, said the agency.

Tens of thousands people have been feared dead in a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, which struck Haiti on Tuesday afternoon. International Federation of the Red Cross estimated that some 3 million people may have been affected by the earthquake.

"Food aid will be critical in the coming weeks... By acting quickly now, we can help those most affected by this disaster in their time of need," said USAID administrator Rajiv Shah.